Tomato Watercress Soup with Ginger

I love soups this time of the year and actually all the year round. There is a quiet simplicity about them, yes, we can make them fussy but overall a few little flavors, a good base and you have a comforting bowlful.

I have been intrigued by all the beautiful tomato soups at Saffron Trail, that blog is such a testimony to good and healthy food. Lately, I have also been thinking of watercress eversince it featured on the Top ten detox foods, I thought of combining the two items - the tomato and watercress and thus emerged this soup.

Tomato Watercress Soup with Ginger

Serves 6

Ingredients

1 small onion

3 cloves garlic

2 green chillies

2 tsp olive oil

2 tsp cumin-coriander powder

3-4 cloves

1 large stick cinnamon

8 tomatoes

1 small can tomato paste

2 tsp salt

2 cups lowfat buttermilk

1 large bunch chopped watercress

1 tbsp butter

2 inch piece ginger very thinly julienned

3 tbsp chopped cilantro

Method of Preparation

1. Chop the onion, garlic and chillies in the the food processor

2. Heat the oil in a large pot and cook the onion mixture for 5 minutes.

3. Mix in the spices.

4. Puree the tomatoes and tomato paste with 1 cup water.

5. Add to the onion mixture and simmer for 20 minutes.

6. Mix in the butter milk and watercress and cook for another 10 minutes.

7. Heat the butter and cook the ginger on low for 10 minutes till well browned.

8. Stir into the soup and garnish with the cilantro.

Here are some benefits of eating a tomato, in case we needed more reasons to have this beautiful, bright fruit we like to call a vegetable.

I am sending this off to Ed from Tomato, for this week's WHB.