Tomato Soup / Cream of tomato soup - Restaurant style

As you all know I am not a soup person....the only few soups I taste as a starter is tomato soup and sweet corn soup. I like my soup to be thick and creamy and this recipe fits the bill aptly. I have tried this recipe few times now and it has become my family favorite too.

Cream of tomato soup Recipe

Recipe Reference : Tasty Palattes

Makes 2 cups

Ingredients:

• Tomatoes - 3
• Beetroot - a small piece
• Garlic - 4 cloves
• Ginger - 1/2 inch size
• Bayleaf - a small piece
• Cinnamon stick - 1/4 inch in size
• Cloves - 1
• Salt - as required
• Water - 2 .5cups

• Pepper powder - 1 tsp
• Corn Flour - 1 tsp
• Milk - 1/4 cup
• Butter - 1/2 tbsp
• Salt to taste
• Bread - 2 slices

Method:

1. In a pressure cooker add tomatoes, beetroot, ginger, garlic, bayleaf, cinnamom, cloves, salt with water and pressure cook for 2 to 3 whistles.
2. Once the pressure releases, find out cinnamom and cloves, dicard them and grind rest of pressure cooked ingredients until smooth.
3. Strain using a medium sized hole strainer and keep aside. Cut bread slices into small squares and toast/deep fry them until crispy and make it ready and keep aside.
4. In a pan melt butter in low flame then add cornflour and saute until the flour turns slightly brown.Now add milk stirring continuosly to avoid forming lumps. Mix well until bubbles ooze out and milk gets slightly thickened. Now add the grinded tomato pulp and mix thoroughly.
5. Add water if necessary(if the soup is very thick) and keep stirring in low flame. Check salt at this stage adjust accordingly. Allow it for a single boil and then switch off.
6. Serve hot with pepper powder and garnish with cream/milk. Add the bread squares and enjoy ur soup.

My Notes:

• Dont use a fine hole strainer as we need the pulp of the tomatoes. I didnt sieve it this time and it was good as we are grinding it well.
• You can use freshly cracked pepper powder which gives a unique flavour to the soup
• You can toast bread slices or deep fry them until crispy.The rich red color is from the beetroot and you can not sense any taste of the veggie.
• This soup is very thick even without adding cornflour so adjust cornflour and water accordingly.
• You can add 1 carrot too as in the orginal recipe, I skipped it as slightly modifies the taste.

This soup tastes like the ones they serve in restaurants so am happy to have learnt the trick of the restaurant style tomato soup...rich, creamy and tasty :)

You can add cream for garnishing which gives a even more richer taste.Dont skip the bread squares as tomato soup with crispy bread squares is the best combination.