If you’ve been visiting my Instagram page you’ll know how much I have enjoyed summer this year. I am told this long Indian (I love how they call it that!) summer is the work of El Nino. Now that is not such good news. I wish we could do more to safeguard our planet against the ills of how we abuse it. On most days I sit with my worry hat on and fume and carry the weight of the world on my shoulders, but not today. Even though fall is or has been my favourite season, this year I have embraced summer like never before in my life.
I was happy in 40 degrees celcius in New Delhi, I was happy in 90% humidity in Mumbai, which made my hair go crazy 🙂 and I was so happy that when I got back to Holland the summer weather came with me. Yes, Dutchies, you have me to thank for this awesome weather!
I love dark pictures.
That means I love dark weather. Meaning I love clouds and I love rain and all the melancholy that it brings with it. No surprise then that fall is my favourite season. But not this year. Maybe it has to do with all those wonderful people I met in Mumbai that made me warm again. As much as I miss it India, I am also embracing Holland like I have never before. And again it has to do with how warm and gorgeous it is here right now.
So here I am with a summer soup, it can be eaten warm or cold and it is delicious. In India the freshest most sweet green peas come in the fall winter time. This soup is therefore a kind of passing from summer into the fall for me. I have used frozen peas for this recipe so it can be made year round. Fresh peas if available are of course preferable.
With it go the celeriac chips which are such a delicious surprise and that chutney swirl, adds the extra kick in an already delicious soup.
- For Chutney
- 1 cup loosely packed cilantro
- 4 tbsps olive oil
- 1-2 green chillies
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 tsp salt
- splash of lemon juice
- 2-3 tbsp water
- For Celeriac Chips
- ½ celeriac, sliced thin
- oil for deep frying
- 1 tbsp turmeric powder
- rock salt and pepper as desired
- For Pea Soup
- 250 grams green peas (matar), frozen or fresh
- 400 ml vegetable bouillon
- 1 spring onion, chopped
- 1 green chilli (more if you want it more spicy)
- 1 small potato, chopped
- 1 garlic clove, sliced thin
- 5-6 mint leaves
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tbsp oil
- whole baguette, cut into slices and roasted in the oven for a few minutes at 180 degrees celcius.
- For Tempering
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1 tbsp mustard seeds
- 6-7 curry leaves
- To prepare chutney, grind all ingredients till a smooth paste. Set aside
- To prepare the celeriac chips, heat oil in a wok. Add the turmeric and stir the oil. Drop the thinly sliced celeriac and fry for a few minutes on each side. Remove from oil onto some kitchen towels to remove excess oil. Toss with rock salt and pepper. Set aside.
- To prepare soup, heat oil in a pan. Add the chopped spring onion, chilli, potato, garlic clove, cumin and mint leaves. Sauté for a few minutes.
- Add the bouillon and bring to a boil.
- Next add the green peas. Cook for 5-10 minutes.
- Now blitz the contents of the pan till it becomes a smooth puree.
- To prepare tempering, in a small pan, heat oil, add the mustard seeds till they sputter, Turn off the heat and add the curry leaves. Stir for a few seconds and set aside.
- To put it together, pour the pea soup into a bowl. First swirl in some of the green chutney, Then swirl in the mustard tempering. You could decorate with whatever herb you like.
- Take the bread out of the oven and smear some green chutney on top. You can also add some oven roasted tomatoes if you like.
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