Summer is not the time for soups, yet the dry heat of the place I live prompted me to try out this variation, as I struggled to keep myself from being dehydrated. The heat thanks to global warming has already outdone previous summers and this keeps hunger at bay, yet one needs to supplement the body with the required nutrients without ending up with indigestion caused with the heat. I have used sattu (flour of roasted gram or roasted chick pea) which has been used in Northern India since time immemorial to fight the heat and heat waves it is famous for. Sattu has not become much popular except among those who would try a desi drink, as it is used as an addition to butter milk or fresh lime juice.
Summer Soup
Ingredients:
- ½ litre split milk
- 1 cauliflower stalk finely cut
- 2 tomatoes finely cut
- 6-8 small onions slit lengthwise
- 1 garlic pod smashed and cut lengthwise
- 1 cm ginger finely chopped
- 1 tbsp beaten curd
- 2 tsp sattu
- a pinch of sugar
- salt to taste
Method:
- In a thick bottom pan mix the split milk and sattu and heat it till it reduces to half.
- Add the ginger, garlic, tomatoes and continue boiling for 5 minutes.
- Keep the flame low; add the curd, cauliflower stalk, sugar and the small onions.
- Continue cooking till the cauliflower stalk is done.
- Put off the flame and add salt to taste. It is now ready to serve.
Preparation time: 20 mins
Serves: 4