You can make Indian spiced cauliflower soup, and you should it’s that good, healthy and low-cal.
A habit brews in my refrigerator. Buying cauliflower with the intention of eating it raw to get my cruciferous on, and time after time it turns brown before I can eat one more bite. Another soup to the rescue, yet this recipe is so good it deserves more purpose than saving a nearly turned vegetable from the garbage graveyard.
Vegetable miracle worker, Alice Waters, author of my almost favorite cookbook, brings cauliflower to life with a decent blend of simple Indian spices topped with a Greek yogurt dollop and shards of mint. Exotic flavors abound.
If you have any cauliflower averse souls in your household, this preparation can make converts out of them. So you know, cauliflower loses some of its super food status when cooked, but this vegetable is so loaded up with nutrients, you will still get a healthy boost.
I give you a few ways to cut down the prep if you’re short on time on ingredients.
[recipe]
cauli-wood
preptime 15 minutes makes 2 qts serving 4-6
cooktime 30 minutes
1/4 c olive oil
1 onion peeled and diced
1 carrot peeled and diced
1 t coriander seeds
1 t cumin seeds
1 t chile powder
1/4 t turmeric
1/4 t red pepper flakes
salt to taste
fresh ground pepper
6 cilantro sprigs, coursely chopped
1 large head of cauliflower, timed of green leaves and coarsely chopped (about 6 cups).
3 c chicken stock or broth (I prefer stock to adjust my seasonings)
3 c water
Garnishes: yogurt, chopped cilantro or mint, squeeze of lime juice
- Grind coriander and cumin seeds in coffee mill. Waters recommends crushed but I found the pieces too big
- Heat oil in soup pot on medium heat.
- Add onions, carrots and spices and cook until very soft but not brown.
- Add remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer about 30 minutes until cauliflower is very tender.
- Taste stock and adjust flavors to your liking.
- Place in batches in blender and return to pan to heat through. You can blend to whatever consistency you prefer. Also, blend just half and add back to unblended portion for a chunkier porridge.
- Add garnishes
crunchtimewarp:
- Use ground spices. They will be less flavorful but easier.
- Use store chopped onions and carrots.
- Each spice adds to the complexity of flavor, but any could be eliminated.
- Use sour cream if you don’t have plain yogurt
recipe adapted from The Art of Simple Food by Alice Waters and provided by your friends at crunchtimefood.com
1 Comment
Sounds delish !! 🙂 I was planning to make a soup on Sunday, so maybe this will be the one 🙂 Thanks!
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