Hearty tomato & root vegetable soup

Lake Agnes Tea House

We just came back from a wonderful vacation amidst blue lakes and snow capped Rockies. Almost everyone we spoke with was either an avid hiker, biker or a cross-country backpacker. After our hike up to Lake Agnes, we ate at the famous Lake Agnes Tea House. It is little log cabin in the hanging valley on the shore of the turquoise Lake Agnes. They serve over a hundred types of tea, soup, sandwiches, freshly baked bread etc. Their tomato vegetable soup with barley was fabulous. Served with home-made multigrain bread, I loved it so much that I was willing to hike up the next day just to eat that soup! :D

Today, I tried to recreate that soup with my own twist. I did not have barley at hand, so I left it out. Here it goes.

Serves: 2-3 persons
Preparation time: 20-25 minutes

Ingredients
2-3 small carrots
2 small beetroots
2 tomatoes
1 tsp butter
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1-2 cloves
1-2 cinnamon pieces (about 1")
Salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
1 tsp brown sugar (optional)
Water

Method

1. In a medium sauce-pan, bring 1 1/2- 2 cups of water to a boil. Add the peeled and diced carrots and beetroots and cover. Continue to cook on low heat till the beetroots are fork tender. Alternatively, you could roast the vegetables at 400F for 20-30 minutes for a smokier taste. Add the two tomatoes into the sauce pan and cook for another five minutes or so, till the skin peels off. Remove from heat. You may choose to peel the tomato skin off, once the tomatoes cool a bit.
2. Once slightly cooled, blend the root vegetables and tomatoes in a blender. Add salt and pepper. 
3. In the same saucepan, heat 1 tsp butter. Add cumin seeds, clove and cinnamon. Once the cumin seeds sizzle, pour the root vegetable and tomato mixture back in. Add 1-2 cups of water, and bring it to a boil. Add brown sugar if desired.



Hearty tomato-root vegetable soup

4. Serve hot with bread of your choice. I ate it with fresh French Baguette :) 

Bon Apetit!

Hetal from Houston

Beetroot Halva

As a child I relished the sweet taste of steamed beets and loved the magenta hue much more! It was my 'lipstick' - would often pester Mom or Baa to cut a slice of beetroot such that I could hold it between my little fingers like a real 'lipstick' and paint my face all over. :)
I know now that beetroots are a wonderful source of potassium, magnesium, folic acid and iron as well as vitamins A, B6 and C.
I made a super simple beetroot halva for some friends after a Biryani dinner. Enjoy it with little less guilt, coz also good for you! ;) Here it goes.


Serves: 6-8 persons
Preparation time: 10 mins
Cook time: 30 mins


Ingredients
3 large beetroots, grated (about 3 cups)
14 oz. sweetened low fat condensed milk
1 tsp cardamom seeds, crushed
1 tbsp clarified butter/ ghee
1/2 cup chopped nuts (cashews, almonds, pistachios etc)
1/2 cup raisins


Method

• Heat a large thick bottomed skillet, add ghee. Once warm, add cardamom seeds to infuse the aromatic flavor of the cardamom throughout the halva.
• Add grated beetroots and saute till softened.

Grated beetroots sautéed in ghee

• Add condensed milk and stir occasionally till the beets cook completely and turn slightly glossy - about 25-30 minutes. Most of the moisture would have evaporated by then. Note - The halva will thicken further as it cools.
• Fold in the raisins and nuts. 
• Garnish with nuts and serve. It can be served hot or chilled. 

Beetroot Halva

Notes: Condensed milk can be substituted by milk and sugar to taste. To make it richer, cashew paste or  khoya could also be added. 


Bon Apetit!

Hetal from Houston