Vegetarian Cuisine

BASIC VEGETABLE SOUP with variations 

The variations on this basic theme are endless. In winter, root vegetables, such as parsnips, turnips and swedes, make a grounding, warming soup base. In the summer, lighter greens may be substituted, along with fresh herbs. This is an easy soup to make for any number of people. For a stronger flavour, add one bay leaf per four people with the vegetables. The ingredients below are for one person; simply multiply them by the number of people you want to feed.

Ingredients per person:

• 50 g mixed vegetables – celery, courgettes (zucchinis), carrots, turnips, swede, potatoes
• ½ tablespoon oil or 7 g butter (optional)
• 250 ml water sea salt or tamari to taste
• chopped parsley or coriander, to garnish (optional)

Directions:
1. Clean the vegetables; dice or slice attractively.
2. If liked, heat the oil or butter in a pan and sauté the mixed vegetables until they are slightly softened.
3. Place the water in a large pan or soup pot and bring to the boil. Add the vegetables.
4.Lower the heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
5. Season with tamari or sea salt, and serve garnished with chopped parsley or coriander.

Variations:
6. Blended Vegetable Soup – After cooking, transfer the soup to a food processor or blender and purée it until smooth. Return it to the pan and heat through. Serve garnished with parsley or coriander.
7. Hearty Vegetable Soup – Pulses maybe pre-soaked, added to the water and cooked until almost soft before adding the vegetables.
8. Spring Vegetable Soup – For each person, add 25 g seasonal greens, such as sorrel, spinach, dandelion or watercress, or 3 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs, such as basil, fennel, dill or tarragon, to the soup before seasoning it. Cook for a further 5 minutes and then season with sea salt or tamari.
9. Creamy Vegetable Soup – Replace some of the water with milk or soya milk. Do this towards the end of the cooking as milk/soya milk should not be boiled but only heated. Alternatively, add 1–2 tablespoons cream or yoghurt per person before serving.
10. Creamy Vegan Soup – For each person, sauté 1 tablespoon rolled oats with the chopped vegetables. This makes a light, creamy, nourishing soup.

This recipe is an edited contribution for the Sivananda Gurugram, sourced from The Yoga Cookbook: Food for Body and Mind – Recipes from the Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centres” 1999.

To lead the life of goodness is to lead the life of all. – Sri Swami Sivananda