Tangy Cream of Cauliflower Soup

Cauliflower Soup is quite a delicious comfort soup and I wanted to prepare some for a lazy lunch avoiding all the standard starch of potatoes & heaviness of cream & dollops of butter. It also gave me the best opportunity to enjoy some of the amazing Blackburn Wheat Bread I sourced during the weekend from one of the best bakeries in Seattle – ‘Macrina Bakery‘. This recipe below is a tangy take with an Indian twist on the popular cream of cauliflower soup which I believe you will certainly find delicious & crunchy on the palate. Its healthy too, if that matters 🙂

Serves 2

-:Ingredients:-

1 Tbsp Olive Oil
2 cups Vegetable Stock
½ tsp Butter
1 tsp Parmesan Cheese (crumbled)
1 tsp Milk Powder
½ tsp dried Sage
1 tsp freshly chopped Cilantro (or ½ tsp dried Cilantro)
¼ tsp crushed Pepper
¼ tsp Paprika Powder (or more to taste)
Pinch of Garam Masala
Pinch of Caraway Seeds (Ajwain) (Optional)
¼ tsp Cumin Powder (Jeera Powder)
¼ tsp dried Mango Powder (Amchoor)
Rock Salt to taste
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½ head large Cauliflower (coarsely chopped)
2 stalks Celery (diced)
½ medium Green Capsicum (coarsely chopped)
½ medium Onion (coarsely chopped)
½ cup American Corn
3-4 sticks Asparagus (cut in 1 inch pieces)
2-3 cloves Garlic (minced)
Handful of Green leaves (Arugula, Baby Spinach, Chard, Kale, Mizuna, etc.)

-: Recipe :-

1. In a nonstick pan, heat Olive Oil & Butter and add Garlic & Onion. Add crushed Pepper & Paprika and saute for a couple of minutes.
2. Add Celery & Capsicum and saute for 4-5 minutes, after which add Cauliflower, Corn, Green Leaves, Sage, Cilantro, Garam Masala, Cumin Powder & Mango Powder.
3. Mix for a couple of minutes and add the vegetable stock with Rock Salt to taste (½ tsp or more).
4. Once it starts boiling, cover and simmer for 15 minutes till the cauliflower gets a bit soft.
5. In the mean time, stir fry the Asparagus cuts in another pan with a pinch of Caraway Seeds and keep aside.
6. Take the simmering soup mixture off the heat and add in Parmesan Cheese and Milk Powder.
7. Roughly puree in a blender to maintain some bite. Mix in the asparagus and check for spices/seasoning.
8. Garnish with crunchy caramelised onions & sprinkle some spicy seasoning mix. Serve with whole wheat multi-grain bread to Enjoy the Ultimate Experience 🙂

-: Tips :-

• Milk Powder adds the creaminess to this soup. If you would use whole milk instead, reduce the vegetable stock quantity by similar amount to balance water and check for the salt/spices accordingly.
• Avoid using any soft cheeses in the soup since it will make it sticky. Dried crumbly cheeses like Parmesan or Pecorino Romano are the best for this.