Quick and Easy Indian Soup!

A few snowy nights ago Nicole and I needed a quick, warm, filling meal. Soup seemed to fit the bill, but so many of the really tasty looking soups in the cook book take hours to prepare, simmer, etc. and we were hungry now! Finally we stumbled onto a simple and delicious recipe in one of the Moosewood cookbooks. After a quick trip through Dave’s we were ready to assemble our evening repast: Curried Cauliflower and Chickpea Soup!

Here’s how it works:

1. Chop and sauté one medium onion in a1-2 tbsp of vegetable oil in a large soup pot

2. Once softened add 1½ tbsp fresh grated ginger and 2-3 tsp curry powder continue sautéing until onions take on color but be sure not to burn the spices

3. After sautéing for a few minutes at 1 15oz can of chickpeas and 3 cups of vegetable stock

4. Cover the pot and bring to a boil

5. Once boiling add a 28oz can of diced tomatoes and 1 small head of cauliflower, coarsely chopped

6. Reduce heat and bring to a simmer

7. Allow soup to simmer at least 5 minutes or until the cauliflower is cooked to desired texture

8. Take 2-3 cups of the soup and pulse in a blender, then return puree to pot and stir to combine.

9. Top with chopped cilantro and chutney, and serve with naan!

A flavorful, aromatic soup with a hint of the curry powder’s spice, we opted to kick things up a few notches with an extra dash of curry power and about half-a-teaspoon of cayenne, but you could add some Scotch Bonnet and take it into serious Indian territory. And not only is this soup delicious but including shopping time it took maybe an hour to make and the leftovers only get better as the spices and flavors have more time to mingle