Iโve never been much of a soup eater. But this year (or should I say last year. Iโm still in 2018!), that is changing. Because my mother only cooked fresh seasonal foods when I was growing up, healthy food is a no brainer for me. Growing older though, I long for different tastes and textures within the plant-based foods I have always eaten giving them new twists that always have a little Indian in them. It is something I cannot help. And for some time now I don’t fight it anymore. Everything is a little better with a bit of masala thrown in!
Beetroot is a vegetable that holds fond memories for me. Mom always served it cooked and sliced for salad. An extremely healthy way to eat them, and with just some pepper on it, is all the flavour I associated with beets till fairly recently. I love beetroots also because of their color and how they stain my hands when I work with them. I knew visually this soup would look incredible too. So, that is half the reason for making it! ๐
This soup has all of my favourite basic Indian spices. Its easy as hell and so damn good that I, me, a non-soup eating person had the time of my life eating it for lunch, just with some fresh bread. Oh it was sweet sweet heaven! The beetroots are also roasted in the oven to give them that extra smoky flavour.
Hope you enjoy it!
- Roasted Beetroot
- 8-10 small beetroots, peeled and cut into chunks
- salt and pepper
- drizzle of oil
- Soup
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1 red onion, chopped fine
- 1 inch ginger, chopped
- 1 tbsp coriander powder
- ½ tsp turmeric
- ½ tsp cumin powder
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- ½ cup coconut milk + some for decoration drizzle
- salt and pepper to taste
- ½ tsp garam masala
- Preheat oven to 200ยฐC/395ยฐF.
- Line a baking tray with baking paper. Place the cut beetroot and drizzle with oil, enough to coat them. About 1-2 tablespoons. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and roast for 30 minutes.
- Remove from oven.
- While the beetroot roasts, take a deep pan and heat the oil. Once hot add the chopped red onion and cook till the onion is transparent. Don't let the onion turn brown. Add the ginger and cook for another minute or two on medium low heat. Add all the spices and stir to mix. Now add the roasted beetroot (once they are out of the oven). Stir to mix with all the spices and cook for 2-3 minutes. Now add the vegetable broth, turn the heat to low, cover the pan and allow to cook for 15-20 minutes or until the beetroot is soft enough to blitz.
- With a hand held mixer, blitz the mixture to a creamy consistency. It will be a beautiful reddish pink color. Add the coconut milk and mix it in.
- Finish with a drizzle of the coconut milk. Add some seeds of your choice and sprinkle the garam masala. Serve with fresh bread!
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