By Roma Tandon
Here is another Ayurvedic-inspired favorite, and best-received recipe as we step into fall and everyone wants to cuddle under the blankets, we drink this ‘Lauki Soup“.
Lauki is best-called Bottle Gourd in English or Doodhi. It is available in all Indian markets or in Asian supermarkets as well. It is light, yet warming for the body and a true treasure to your soul.
If you add this Heartful Recipe, your cooking will become a way to infuse heartful qualities in your children, family, and friends! You will also nourish your subtle body. This is a lifestyle change.
Ingredients:
- 1 piece of zucchini (2 inches long) cut into cubes
- 1 medium size carrot cut into cubes
- 1 piece of Lauki (3 -4 inches long) cut into cubes
- 1-2 spring onions
- 1 small onion (red is more flavorful)
- 1 fist of cut spinach
- 1 small tomato cut into cubes
For tempering:
-
2 tablespoons of olive oil
-
1 inch piece of ginger, grated
-
2 medium size garlic cloves, chopped
-
1 piece of star anise
-
1/2 lemon squeezed
-
butter to taste
-
A pinch of black pepper
-
4-6 oz of water
As an alternative, if you don’t want to blend the soup, you can always drink it as is, but then you’ll enhance the experience if all vegetables are cut in small chunks, to fit in a soup spoon. If you are ok blending it (that’s what I do at home), then cutting your veggies in big chunks takes less effort (for lazy ladies like me), and saves time.
Instructions – Preparation and cooking time: 30 minutes
1. In a pressure cooker or a large pot, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil
2. Add grated ginger and chopped garlic. Sauté for a minute or two until the raw aroma disappears. Add the star anise at this point.
3. Add the cubed spring and red onions, and add salt on top to allow the moisture of the onion to get released.
4. Add the chopped tomato, and stir again.
5. Add in the following sequence: carrot cook for 2 minutes, then add lauki and zucchini, add 4 -6 oz of water. Close the lid and cook for about 2 whistles on medium heat. If using a pot, cover it with a lid and cook on low heat until you can see the vegetables coming to a boil. I always prefer using a pressure cooker and having the ingredients boiled with a minimum of water instead of a pot where you have to add more water and dilute the nutritional potency of the veggies.
6. Once cooked, let the pressure release naturally or remove the pot from heat and keep it covered for a few minutes.
7. Use a hand blender to blend all ingredients together.
8. Then add the cut spinach. Note that you don’t need the spinach to be cooked, let it sit on top of the soup, with its full nutritional value.
9. Squeeze the juice of 1/2 a lemon before serving, and add for additional flavor, add before serving some butter in each bowl
The Science behind it:
- The squeezed lemon juice adds to the vitamin C, which enhances the absorption of the iron contained in the spinach.
- If you are having the sniffles, this is the perfect soup as it is light to digest.
Try Roma’s other recipe for Prayerful Khichdi
