Chinese Sweet corn vegetable soup

Serving size : 4
Total Preparation time : 15 mins
Cooking Time : 10-12 minutes.

Ingredients :

1.5 cup corn kernels
2 tbsp finely chopped carrot
1 tbspn chopped white onion (white part of green onion/scallions)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tspn ginger paste
1 tbspn chopped celery.
2 tbspn finely chopped green onion.
4 cups vegetable stock. ( see recipe)
1 tbspn chopped coriander leaves
1 tbspn oil
1 tspn salt
1/2 tspn sugar
1.5 tspn freshly ground black pepper powder
1/2 tspn corn flour (optional )
1 tspn soy sauce (optional)
1/2 tspn Rice vinegar (optional)

Method :
Coarsely grind 1 cup corn kernels in a blender till its creamy and pulpy. Keep some mashed/broken corn pieces and do not make a paste. Now heat oil in a saucepan, and saute the garlic and ginger. Add the onion and saute till transparent. Add the salt, black pepper. Add the celery, carrot, corn kernels, mashed cream of corn and part of the green onion and saute for a minute. Add vegetable stock and bring it to a boil. Simmer covered on medium for 5 mins till all the added veggies are cooked. Add the coriander leaves. Mix corn flour, rice vinegar and soy sauce separately in a bowl with sugar and stir in the simmering soup. Turn the heat on low and stir to get the desired consistency. Add water or stock if required. Check for taste and adjust salt, and black pepper. Serve hot garnished with chopped green onions.

Creamy Asparagus Soup

Serving size : 3-4
Total preparation time : 30 mins
Cooking time : 10 mins

Ingredients :
12 stems of asparagus, each cut into 3 pieces
2 tbspn butter
1 stalk of celery,chopped.
2 garlic cloves minced.
1/2 onion chopped.
2 cups vegetable/chicken stock.
1tspn freshly ground black pepper powder
Salt to taste
Steamed asparagus tops for garnish
1 tbspn whipped heavy Cream/ greek yoghurt

Method :
Heat butter in a pan, saute the garlic, onion and celery. Add salt along with the apsaragus pieces and cook covered for 5 mins. Once cooked, transfer the contents to a blender and make a smooth puree. Transfer this puree back into the pan, add the veg stock /chicken broth and simmer with black pepper for another 2 mins. Mix in whipped cream to make a thick creamy texture (optional). Serve hot garnished with asparagus and heavy cream.

Tips : You could sieve the vegetable puree to eliminate thread like consistency from the asparagus.
Adding whipped cream can be skipped.

Homemade Vegetable stock

Method and Ingredients :

Heat 2 tbspn butter or olive oil in a large stock pot, add 1 bay leaf, 1 clove,2 pepper corns and sauté freshly grated/chopped 1 inch ginger, 3 garlic cloves and 1/2 med sized onion. 

Then add finely chopped veggies - 

1/2 cup celery, 

1/4th cup carrots, 

1/4th cup green beans, 

1/4cup tomatoes,

1/4 cup green peas,

1/4 cup cabbage, 

1/4 cup cauliflower, 

1/4 cup capsicum.

2 tbspn cilantro 

Now add 2 cups water, salt and cook covered on high heat for 15mins. Check if all veggies have becomes mushy and that the water has changed it's color. Add more water if needed and simmer for another 5 minutes. Strain and use/refrigerate to store once cooled.

Tips:

You can also add cinnamon powder, Italian herbs like oregano, thyme, basil, parsley etc.

You can use the veggy residue after straining for making cutlets or purée it and use it in soups/sauces and gravies. Without straining it becomes a veg clear soup ready to serve.

Dont miss out on onion, celery, tomato, and cabbage as it's the essence of a good tasty stock

Add potatoes pieces if you want a thick stock. 

Pressure cooking will be fast but not nutritious and healthy, slow cooking and simmering is recommended for best taste.

Minestrone soup with tri color rotini pasta, beans and vegetables

Serving size :4

Cooking time 15 mins.
Total Preparation time : 45- 60 mins

Ingredients :

1/4 cup pre soaked and boiled kidney beans 

1/4 cup pre soaked and boiled black eyed peas
1 cup boiled tri color rotini pasta

3-4 cups home made veg stock

1 tbspn tomato purée

1 zucchini chopped into cubes

3-4 baby carrots finely chopped

1/2 finely chopped med sized white onion

1 stalk of celery chopped

3 cloves garlic finely chopped

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley leaves

1 tspn finely chopped fresh basil leaves.

1 tspn black pepper powder

Salt to taste

1 tbspn butter

1 tspn olive oil

1/2 tspn oregano and thyme

Method:
Heat butter in a stock pot, add the garlic and  onion and sauté. Add the celery, zucchini and carrots with salt and black pepper and sauté for 1 min. Now add the veg stock and tomato purée and bring it to a boil. Add the boiled kidney beans and black eyed peas along with the pasta, the fresh parsley, basil, thyme and oregano and add more water/ stock if needed. Simmer for another 2 mins. Serve hot topped with grated cheese and fresh herbs.