Thursday, February 16, 2006

Curried Parsnip and Apple Soup

OK, this isn't really the right forum for sharing recipes, but I made this soup the other day and with all modesty I can here announce: it was the best goddam soup I've ever made OR tasted ... ... (well, maybe I've tasted better, but not more than once or twice and only.... ah, who cares -- IT'S REALLY YUMMY, ok?!!!).

So, since I'm of the altruistic kind, I thought: how can I spread the word about this lovely soup and get as many people as possible to have a chance to taste this easily made delicacy. So I shared some with my dear flat- and soulmate Chris, then brought some to my good friend Sarah, who's awfully ill and tied - coughing - to her bed, but then I realised: that's only 2 more people. So I had a blitz of blissful inspiration: MY BLOG!!!
Now that I am going to reveal the secret recipe on here, theoretically MILLIONS OF PEOPLE have access to it through the world wide web. YAY!! [I'll just ignore the fact that only a handful of people (if I'm lucky) actually read this and of those, who will actually bother going shopping and trying this out...?! ...sniff]

ANYWAY: THE RECIPE (serves four, I'd say)

What you need:

2 (big) parsnips
2 carrots
1 eating apple
2 spring/salad onions
1 tsp chilli powder
1/2 tsp garam masala spice mixture (optional)
750ml - 1liter vegetable stock (hot, just use stock cubes, they're fine)

I obviously recommend as much of the above as possible to be 'organic', but that's just cause I'm spoiled.
Now those are the essentials and should be relatively easy to get by. If you want to spice it up, there's 3 more ingredients, that give it that extra kick, if you have them, or can get by them, but they're not essential:

1/2 handful of dried curry leaves
1 tsp fenugreek seeds
1 tsp coriander seeds

How to make it:

Put the water in the kettle or in a pot and bring to the boil, while you start preparing the rest. Once it's boiled, add the stock powder or cube... (don't add it to the kettle - unless you want stock-tasting tea for the next 2 weeks ...haha!)
Chop the spring onions into thin little discs, heat some clarified butter (ghee) or just vegetable oil in a saucepan and - once hot - add the fenugreek and coriander seeds and curry leaves if you have them, wait till they begin to pop and then add the spring onion.
Let fry at medium heat for a few minutes, while you chop up the parsnips, carrots and the apple. If they're organic - don't peel them before chopping, because the peel contains the best nutrients, just wash. If they're not organic - it's up to you. Add all three of them to the pot, put the heat up, fry and stir a little. Add the curry and garam masala powder and stir again. Fry this for about 5 to 7 mins, then add the hot stock. Bring everything to the boil, then cover the saucepan with a nice lid and let simmer at a low heat for 15 mins or so, not sure, but the way to know when it's done is when the parsnip and carrot are soft inside when you poke 'em with a knife.
Then remove the pot from the heat, enjoy the smell for a second and get hold of a food processor-thingie, mixer, blender or whatever it's called (blender, I think, right?). Blend it all together, so it becomes a nice smooth soup.

Done! How wonderfully simple is that, eh?!! You can probably make the whole soup in 30 mins. It's best served with some natural (organic) yoghurt, to contrast (and combat) the spiciness.

Trust me, this tastes so good, that you'll feel really good about yourself having made something so yummy (that's how I felt). It'll make your day!

YAY!! All ye people out there, make a yummy parsnip and apple soup and have a wonderful day!

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