Be it to get the right nutrients with as few calories as possible or to warm up your body in cold shivering winters, soups come highly recommended. And it’s not just tomato and sweet corn, but soups can basically be made from all kind of veggies or meats. It’s quick and easy to make as well, and is just right for dinner during these cold times.
“Get solid ingredients and simply boil it with liquid in a pot until the flavors are extracted. And a tasty meal will be ready in minutes,” says Anil Maharjan, chef at Nepal Institute of Culinary Arts. According to Maharjan, there may be a limit to what our minds can conjure up when we think of soups, but in reality there is no limit to the varieties you can make. However, he quickly clarifies that all these variations fall under two major types. One is thick and the other is thin, and the descriptions match their name. Thick soups are either puree or creamy whereas thin soups are the clear flavored nutritious liquid that is prepared without starch.
Here Maharjan shares some simple soup recipes that are just perfect for the Nepali kitchen. With the help of these recipes, you can make delicious soups in a matter of minutes.
Mushroom Soup
Ingredients
• 250gms butter
• 200gms onion (chopped)
• 125gms celery (chopped)
• 5 liter stock (chicken)
• 1 kg button mushroom (chopped into slices)
• Salt and pepper according to taste
• 70ml cream (optional)
Methodology
Begin by melting the butter in large frying pan. In the pan, add onions and chopped mushrooms. Cook them together until onions are soft. Add chicken broth and heat until it slightly thickens. Keep stirring frequently. Remove the pan from heat and blend it with the help of a hand grinder. Once the blending is done, pour the mixture into a new saucepan and let it boil. You can add cream and heat it until it thickens or just let it boil without the cream. For a vegetarian option, you can use vegetables instead of chicken and the result will be equally delightful.
Creamy Chicken Soup
A silky-smooth soup with a big dose of healthy greens
Ingredients
• ½ cup unsalted butter
• 1 Spanish onion
• 2 celery and 3 carrots
• 1/2tbs flour
• 7 cups of chicken stock and 2 ¾ cups cooked diced chicken
• 3 sprigs of parsley and 1fresh thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• ½ cup heavy cream
• Black pepper according to taste
Methodology
First of all, take a large soup pot and melt butter over medium heat. Add chopped onion, celery, carrots and cook for about 12 minutes. Cover and stir it occasionally until it becomes soft. Add flour and keep cook it for around two minutes. Pour it in the stock and bring to a boil while whisking constantly. Tie the parsley sprigs, thyme, and bay leaf together with a piece of kitchen twine and add it to the soup. At this point, lower the heat and let it simmer for 15 minutes. Stir in the chicken and bring it to boil. Finally, remove it from heat and whisk the heavy cream. Add salt and season it with pepper. Divide among soup bowls discarding the herb bundle. Sprinkle chopped parsley over it and serve immediately.
Chicken Consomme
Ingredients
• 1 pound of chicken
• 6 large egg whites
• 1 carrot
• 1 chilled celery
• 8 cups of chicken stock
Methodology
In a medium saucepan, stir in the chicken, egg whites, carrot, and celery. Add 2 cups of stock first and gradually add the remaining 6 cups. Set the heat between medium to high. Cook until a solid mass forms on top. There should be liquid and foam bubbling around the edges. Stop stirring when the liquid has come to a boil. Reduce to a low simmer, and cook for 45 minutes. After this, remove the pan from heat and ladle only the clear liquid into a damp cheesecloth-lined sieve. Do not press down on the solid but allow the liquid to drip. If any particles remain in broth, strain again in the same manner. The consomme can be chilled until any remaining fat solidifies on the surface. You can remove this later. The consomme can be refrigerated in an airtight container for three days and frozen for up to three months.
Pureed Broccoli Soup
Ingredients
• 1tbs each of butter and extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 onion, 1 stalk of celery and 1 whole garlic
• 1tbs of fresh thyme or parsley
• 8 cups of chopped broccoli
• 2 cups of water
• 4 cups of chicken stock
• Salt and pepper
Methodology
Melt butter and pour in the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. As soon as the butter melts add onion and celery. Cook for 4 to 6 minutes. Occasionally keep stirring it until it gets soft. Add garlic and thyme or parsley to the pan and keep stirring until you can get a whiff of the herbs. Add broccoli and pour water and broth. Let it simmer over high heat. Reduce the level of heat and cook for about 8 minutes, until it gets tender. Carefully puree the soup in batches in a blender until it smoothens. Add salt and pepper and serve immediately.
Vegetable Broth
Ingredients
• 125gm butter
• 750gm onion
• 500gm of carrot
• 300gm of celery
• 300gm of French beans
• 6ltrs of stock
• Salt and pepper according to taste
• Chopped parsley for garnishing
Methodology
Melt butter in a soup pan and add onion along with something sweet. Wash the vegetables thoroughly and sauté them along with the onions in the pan. Add stock and let it boil. Add salt and pepper too and let it simmer for a while. Garnish it with chopped parsley and serve.
