Soni's Food

Indian Inspiration!

Cauliflower,Spinach and Coriander Soup

07 | 02 | 2014
By Soni Sinha

I’ve been on a slight health kick lately.My salad is a sure shot way to a get those essential vitamins and with Valentine’s Day fast approaching, its not a bad idea to eat healthy, so that a little bit of indulgence on the day itself will not hurt.

That brings me to this amazing soup.I love Cauliflower and anything that has anything to do with Cauliflower.Its my most favorite vegetable and I cook it all the time.I’m so glad that my kids and the hubs are also with me on this one.With the temperatures being the way they have,I’ve been making soups for dinner.I find them very comforting, very easy for weeknights and you can have different variations without sounding monotonous.

Cauliflower,Spinach and Coriander Soup

This soup is inspired by my Carrot and Coriander Soup and I’ve substituted carrots for cauliflower and added some spinach for extra nutrition and color.The coriander gives it just a hint of spice in the background, while the creamy cauliflower and spinach work their own magic.The soup comes together with a splash of light cream at the end and couldn’t be any easier.Scoop it with a crusty bread and enjoy!

Cauliflower,Spinach and Coriander Soup

Cauliflower,Spinach and Coriander Soup

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Ingredients
  

  • Cauliflower florets-2 cups
  • Fresh Spinach-1 cup
  • Chicken or vegetable stock-2 cups
  • Olive Oil-2 tbsp
  • Onion- 1 medium
  • 2 garlic cloves-crushed
  • Ground Coriander-1 tbsp
  • Salt and pepper
  • Light cream-1/4 cup

Instructions
 

  • In a pot heat the oil and saute the onions for about a minute or two until translucent followed by garlic.
  • Add the cauliflower florets and coriander.
  • Saute for a minute and add the stock.
  • Add salt and pepper.Bring to a boil.
  • Reduce the heat, cover and cook for about 10 minutes.
  • Add the spinach and cook for another five minutes.
  • Puree in a blender.
  • Return to the stove and add the cream.Stir and serve hot.

Roasted Tomato Soup and Croutons

25 | 10 | 2013
By Soni Sinha

With temperatures dropping each day, its time to get cozy with a warm bowl of soup for dinner. Comforting, healthy and delicious, soups are a staple in my house in the cooler days. My kids love it with a grilled cheese sandwich and we just enjoy ours with some crunchy croutons and crusty bread.

My homemade Tomato Soup develops a rich flavor achieved by roasting the tomatoes along with some garlic, herbs and olive oil. The tomatoes along with the juices are then transferred into a saucepan and cooked along with some broth and finished off with a splash of half and half. Its creamy, slightly sweet and absolutely delicious!

Roasted Tomato Soup 1

For the Croutons I just cube some bread, drizzle some olive oil all over and bake it in a preheated oven for 10 minutes until golden and crispy. Couldn’t be easier.

Roasted Tomato Soup and Croutons

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Ingredients
  

  • Large ripe Tomatoes-4-5 quartered
  • Garlic Cloves-3 sliced
  • Thyme – 1 tsp
  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil- 2 tbsp
  • Chicken or Vegetable Broth-2 cups
  • Salt- to taste
  • Pepper- 1/2 tsp
  • Brown Sugar-1 1/2 tbsp
  • Half and Half-3/4 cup

Instructions
 

  • Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees.
  • Place the tomatoes on a sheet pan and drizzle with olive oil,salt,pepper,garlic and thyme.
  • Bake for about 20-25 minutes until tomatoes are softened.
  • Transfer all the contents including the juices and all into a deep pot.
  • Add the stock,sugar,salt and bring to a boil and cook for about 5-10 minutes.
  • Transfer into a blender and puree the soup.Be careful to not burn since it will be really hot.
  • Transfer the puree back into the pot.Add the half and half and cook for another minute or two.
  • Your soup is ready.Arrange croutons and serve immediately.

For the Croutons

  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
  • Cube 3-4 bread slices and drizzle some olive oil and salt.
  • Arrange in a single layer on a cookie sheet.Bake for 10 minutes until golden.

Masala Shrimp

07 | 09 | 2013
By Soni Sinha

Cooler air this week has got me thinking, are we braced for an early winter this year?I have to admit that I’m not a winter person.I mean I don’t mind the occasional snow that accumulates just enough for the kids to make their own snowman and snow angels and melt off the next day, while its still pristine white.I dislike the snow that lasts for days turning into ice ready to break people’s backs.Its just not fun.Not to mention the mess it makes.

Masala Shrimp 1

But hang on,why am I talking about winter yet?We haven’t even witnessed ‘Fall’ and don’t know what that has in store for us.Last year ‘Sandy’ just destroyed it all and I sincerely hope and pray that major hurricanes steer clear of our shores!Inspite of all this I still love ‘Fall’.I just love the warm colors of the leaves,the cool breeze,the pumpkins,the excitement of my kids to dress up for Halloween,the apples,the stews,warm comforting dishes hot from the oven and talking about hot my Masala Shrimp just fits the bill perfectly.

Masala Shrimp

Spicy and full of flavor this dish is my perfect companion for these cool days and since we’re using Shrimp here they don’t take too long to cook!The heat comes from the green chilies,the red chili powder and the garam masala.The spices give it tons of flavor and you can serve it with rice or naan bread to scoop up all those lovely juices!Its one of those special dishes you make when you’re craving something really spicy.

Masala Shrimp

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Ingredients
  

  • Jumbo Shrimp-1 lb cleaned and deveined
  • Onion-1 large onion chopped into small pieces or grated
  • Ginger-1 inch crushed
  • Garlic- 3 cloves crushed
  • Tomato-2 pureed
  • Ground Cumin-2 tsp
  • Ground Coriander-2 tsp
  • Turmeric-1/2 tsp
  • Garam Masala-1 tsp
  • Red Chili powder or paprika-1 tsp
  • Green Chili-2 seeded and chopped
  • Salt- to taste
  • Water-1 cup
  • Fresh Coriander-to garnish
  • Oil-3-4 tbsp

Instructions
 

  • In a skillet heat the oil.
  • Add the chopped onion and saute on medium heat until golden.
  • Add the ginger and garlic.
  • Add the pureed tomato along with all the spices and the green chili
  • Continue to cook until you see oil separating from the sides.
  • Add water and bring to a boil.Add salt and check the seasonings.
  • Reduce the heat and add the Shrimp.
  • Cook for about 5-6 minutes until Shrimp is cooked.
  • Mix well and garnish with fresh coriander.
  • Serve hot with Rice or Naan!

 

Easy Wonton Soup #SundaySupper

04 | 11 | 2012
By Soni Sinha

This past week, Hurricane Sandy ripped through New York and New Jersey and we were left with no power or heating for four days.There were trees uprooted all across our neighborhood and we were extremely lucky that none fell on our house or on our neighbors’!The help and offers from friends and well wishers to come and stay was really touching and we’re very thankful to all our friends for their hospitality in such times.The amount of destruction is massive and my heart goes out to the families who’ve suffered to the extent that’s unimaginable and I only hope that their lives return back to normal sooner than later.

In order to keep us warm I often made soups for lunch and this easy Wonton soup was just perfect since it didn’t require any effort.I used a pack of Chicken Wontons sold at Trader Joe’s.Just added a few veggies with some stock and we had one tasty soup. You can easily make a vegetarian version of this soup by using vegetable wontons and vegetable stock!

Easy Wonton Soup #SundaySupper

Easy Wonton Soup to keep you warm!
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 18 minutes
Total Time 28 minutes

Ingredients
  

  • Chicken Wontons-14-16 pieces
  • Carrots-2 large peeled and cubed
  • Celery- 2 stalks washed and chopped
  • Broccoli- 1/2 cut into florets
  • Low Sodium Chicken Broth-3-4 cups
  • Soy Sauce-1 tbsp
  • Ginger-1/2 inch freshly crushed
  • Salt-to taste
  • Pepper-1 tsp

Instructions
 

  • In a pot heat the stock and add the carrot,celery,soy sauce,ginger and pepper.Bring to a boil and let it cook on medium for about 10-15 minutes.Add the wontons and broccoli and cook for about 2-3 minutes.Check the seasonings.Serve hot!

Our friend Susan from The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen is hosting this week’s SundaySupper with foods that keep you warm!Scroll down for some ‘warm you up’ dishes from our group!

Main Entrees: 

Chili/Stews:

Soups:

Desserts/Beverages:

Join on us on Twitter throughout the day during #SundaySupper.  In the evening we will meet at 7pm EST for our weekly #SundaySupper live chat.

All you have to do is follow the #SundaySupper hashtag or you can follow us through TweetChat.

We’d also love to feature your Sunday Supper Soul Warming Recipes on our #SundaySupper Pinterest board and share them with all of our followers, too.