Comforting soups for cold days

Pumpkin Soup. Pictures supplied

1 butternut pumpkin

1 Golden Kumara

1 Onion

2 medium potatoes

2 tsp cumin powder

2 tsp coriander powder

2 tsp curry powder

½ tsp ginger powder

2 litres of chicken (or vege) stock

2 Tbspn Olive Oil

Peel and chop pumpkin, kumara, pototoes

Peel and chop finely onion.

Fry onion in olive oil, once soft add spices.

Fry until fragrant.

Add stock and bring to the boil.

Add prepared vegetables and cook until soft.

Once soft take off the element and cool before blitzing with a stick whiz.

When completely blitzed put back onto element to warm through.

Adjust seasoning — salt and pepper (you may need to add more spices if you like it spicy)

Serve hot with a splash of cream and cheesy bread rolls.

For The Soup

1 tablespoon oil

1 teaspoon finely chopped ginger

1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic or 3 to 4 medium garlic cloves

¼ cup chopped spring onion whites or finely chopped onions

¼ cup finely chopped carrots

1 to 1.25 cups chopped mushrooms

1 green chilli chopped (optional)

crushed black pepper as per taste

salt as per taste

4 cups water or vegetable stock

2 tablespoons lemon juice (adjust according to tatse)

⅓ cup chopped coriander leaves

1 to 2 tablespoons chopped spring onion greens or chives (optional)

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a pan.

Keep flame to a low or medium-low. When the oil becomes hot, add 1 teaspoon finely chopped ginger, 1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic and chopped green chilli.

Saute ginger, garlic, green chilli for a few seconds on medium-low flame till the raw aroma of ginger and garlic goes away. Do not brown them.

Add the chopped spring onion whites. Stir and saute it for a minute.

Add the chopped vegetables. You can also add cabbage, corn, baby corn, broccoli, green peas, cauliflower or any other vegetable of your choice. Mix them well and stir fry for about 3 minutes.

Add 4 cups water or vegetable stock.

Add freshly crushed black pepper as per taste and salt as per taste.

Cover and pan and simmer till the vegetables are cooked. When the veggies are cooked, add ⅓ cup coriander leaves and 2 tablespoons lemon juice (or as per your taste).

Lastly, add chopped spring onion greens or chives. Mix and serve hot lemon coriander soup.

If you want to slightly thicken the soup you can add cornflour paste.