1-in-3 Cold Soups - Cucumber Almond Soup
“Cold soup is a very tricky thing and it is the rare hostess who can carry it off. More often than not the dinner guest is left with the impression that had he only come in a little earlier he could have gotten it while it was still hot.” - Fran Lebowitz
Savory, sweet, tart or hot, soups have something to offer everyone. Cold soups especially, seem to offer relief from this heat, even if temporary. The convenience that cold soup offers is endless. Most cold soups star a single fruit or vegetable, which attribute to their simplicity. They can be made ahead, and enjoyed without breaking a sweat, literally.
With a little creativity, cold soups can be made with almost any fruit or vegetable. I usually add low-fat yogurt to give the soup body and texture, without adding ridiculous amount of calories. I also serve cold soups with a side of salad or sandwich, for a filling meal.
Lets beat the heat with not one, but three refreshing cold soups, in 1-in-3 – Cold Soups.
Cucumber Almond SoupMy inspiration for this soup is raita, an Indian condiment made with a vegetable and yogurt. This cool condiment when served with a wicked hot curry, calms the palette. To give this cool soup an ‘oomph’, I have added almonds. Lightly sweet, rich and refreshing, this made for a perfect summer lunch, paired with almond pâté.
Almonds – 15, soaked and peeled
Green chilli – 1 or 2, depending on the heat
Garlic – 1 clove
Plain yogurt – about 1 cup
Mint – ¼ cup, shredded
Salt
PepperCumin seeds – 1 tsp, toasted and crushed coarsely.
Red chilli powder – to sprinkleMethod
Take the grated cucumber in a big bowl. Grind almonds, green chilli and garlic, with ½ cup of water and add to the grated cucumber. To this, add yogurt, mint, salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly adding water if the soup is thick. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Serve with a sprinkle of crushed cumin seeds and red chilli powder.
Cold cucumber-almond soup served with almond pâté.
Tags:
