As the temperatures soar, we tend to crave cold foods that give us a respite from the heat. A cold soup teamed with a salad seems the ideal way to cool off after a day battling with the heat. Given below are some recipes for cold soups which are easy to blend, refreshing and healthy as well.
- Cucumber Soup
Ingredients
- 4 cucumbers, peeled, seeded and finely chopped
- 4-5 cups of water
- One onion chopped
- One vegetable stock cube
- 2 tbsp of butter
- 1 cup milk
- Salt & pepper to taste
Method
- Sauté the onions in the butter until pink.
- Add the cucumbers and lightly toss in the butter.
- Add the stock cube and milk and water as well as salt and pepper.
- Cook until the cucumbers are well mashed.
- Puree when cool in a blender till you get a very smooth consistency.
- Leave to cool.
- Serve in individual bowls.
- Chilled Carrot Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tbsps butter
- ¼ cup diced onions
- 1 kilo carrots sliced ½ inch thick
- 5 & ½ cups water
- 1 tbsp honey
- Salt & pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- ½ cup breadcrumbs
- 2 tbsps parsley chopped
Method
- In a pan melt the butter.
- Add the onion, cook for 4 minutes. Add the carrots and cook for 2 minutes.
- Add water and boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for half an hour.
- Puree the soup in batches.
- Stir in the honey, salt and pepper. Chill for 3 hours before serving.
- Sauté breadcrumbs in olive oil and garnish each serving of soup with a tbsp of breadcrumbs and some parsley.
- Spicy Avocado and Cucumber Soup
Ingredients
- 2 cucumbers peeled, seeded and chopped
- 2 avocadoes chopped
- 2 tsp green Thai curry paste
- 2 tsp sugar
- 2 tsp grated lime zest
- one 350 gms coconut milk tin
- 3 tbsps lime juice
- Some coriander leaves for garnish
Method
- In a food processor, puree the cucumbers till smooth.
- Add the avocadoes, curry paste, sugar and lime zest and process until well blended.
- Add 3 & ½ cups water, coconut milk and lime juice and process until smooth.
- Transfer into a large bowl and season with salt.
- Refrigerate until chilled for 15 minutes.
- Top with coriander leaves and serve.
- Watermelon Gazpacho
Ingredients
- 5 cups watermelon peeled, seeded and chopped
- ½ cup cranberry juice
- 1 cup peeled, seeded and chopped watermelon for garnish
- 1 cup peeled, seeded and finely chopped cucumber
- ¼ cup chopped onion
- ¼ cup mint leaves minced
- ¼ cup parsley leaves minced
- 3 tbsp lime juice
- 1 & ½ tbsp vinegar
- Salt to taste
Method
- Combine the watermelon and cranberry juice in the blender until smooth.
- Pass through a fine sieve and collect around 3 cups of the strained liquid.
- Add cucumber, watermelon, vinegar, onion, mint, parsley, lime juice, vinegar and salt to taste.
- Keep in the fridge to cool.
