Masala tomato soup

A classic Indian version of the popular soup. The spices add fragrance and warmth without adding too much heat.

 

 

 

 

Servings: 3
    

Ingredients 
About 600g/ oz tomatoes, chopped or left whole if very small in size (I used a mixture of cherry and baby plum tomatoes and I did not chop them)

2 onions, chopped

2 sticks of celery, sliced

4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

1 tablespoon chopped ginger

1 teaspoon oil

Salt to taste

Toasted papads to serve (optional)

Spice mix

6 cloves

4 cardamoms

10-15 peppercorns (use less for a milder soup)

Half a stick of cinnamon
2 large pinches each of:

Fennel seeds

Ajwain seeds

Cumin seeds

Coriander seeds

Method

Heat the oil in a pan over a medium heat and add the onion, garlic, ginger and celery, stirring occasionally and adding a little water whenever mixture becomes dry.  While the vegetables are cooking, toast the spices in another pan until they start to darken and become fragrant. Tip the spices into the pan with the other vegetables and continue to cook until the onions are translucent and begin to soften(about 10 minutes from when they start cooking).

Add the tomatoes and keep stirring, mashing them with the back of the cooking spoon until they release a lot of liquid. Lower the heat and cook for about 10-15 minutes until some of the liquid has evaporated, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Puree the mixture, in batches if needed, along with sufficient water to obtain a fairly thin consistency (I used about 2 – 2½  cups). Pour into a pan, season to taste with salt and simmer for a few minutes but do not allow it boil. Serve with toasted papads if desired.