Ingredients
Vegetables and Base
- 3 cups roughly chopped fresh tomatoes (450g, about 8 tomatoes)
- 1 small onion, roughly chopped (about 100g)
- 1 cup canned crushed tomatoes (300g)
- 4.25 cups water (1 litre)
Oils and Aromatics
- 1.5 tablespoons sunflower oil (or any plain flavourless oil)
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 3 cardamom pods
- 4 large cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 inch finely grated fresh ginger
Spices and Flavorings
- 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1/8 – 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne (adjust to preferred heat level)
- 1.5 teaspoons ground coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon ground garam masala
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 vegetable stock cube
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
- ½ teaspoon sugar (optional)
Garnish
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped cilantro
Instructions
- Blend Tomatoes and Onion: Add the roughly chopped fresh tomatoes, chopped onion, and canned crushed tomatoes to a blender and blend everything until smooth to create a fresh tomato-onion puree.
- Heat Oil and Toast Spices: Heat sunflower oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the cumin seeds and cardamom pods. Cook until the cumin seeds begin to sizzle and darken slightly, being careful not to burn them as burnt cumin tastes bitter.
- Sauté Garlic and Ginger: Add the crushed garlic and grated ginger to the pan with the toasted spices. Stir and cook until the raw aroma of garlic dissipates, indicating the ingredients are fragrant but not burnt.
- Add Puree and Simmer: Pour in the blended tomato and onion mixture carefully to avoid splattering. Stir quickly and reduce the heat to medium. Let it simmer for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally to blend the flavors nicely.
- Add Spices: Stir in the ground turmeric, cayenne, ground coriander, ground garam masala, and ground black pepper. Mix thoroughly to distribute the spices evenly throughout the soup base.
- Add Stock and Water: Crumble half a vegetable stock cube into the pan and add 4.25 cups (1 litre) of water. Stir well to dissolve the stock cube and combine the mixture evenly.
- Simmer and Salt: Turn the heat down to low-medium and let the soup simmer gently for five minutes. After this, add salt according to your taste preference; start with 1/2 teaspoon and adjust as needed depending on the saltiness of your stock cube.
- Adjust Sweetness and Final Simmer: If desired, add 1/2 teaspoon sugar to balance the flavors and simmer the soup for an additional 5 minutes to meld all the tastes together.
- Finish with Cilantro: Remove the soup from heat and stir in the finely chopped cilantro for a fresh herbal finish. Serve hot and enjoy this spicy Indian tomato soup!
Notes
- Adjust cayenne pepper amount to control the spiciness according to your preference.
- Use fresh, ripe tomatoes for the best flavor or substitute with high-quality canned tomatoes if not in season.
- Be careful not to burn the cumin seeds during toasting as it can make the soup bitter.
- The soup can be served with a dollop of yogurt or a side of crusty bread for a more substantial meal.
- This soup is gluten-free, vegetarian, and can be made vegan if using a vegan stock cube or vegetable broth.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for 2-3 days and reheated gently on the stovetop.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Indian
- Diet: Gluten Free,Vegetarian
