Thursday, March 15, 2012

Green Peas Soup for St. Patrick's Day

GOING GREEN....a vibrant comforting soup for all of you to enjoy on St. Patrick's day.

This soup is effortless which makes it a go-to candidate for those cold winter nights. The recipe involves minimal ingredients and chopping which makes it even more appealing.
The texture of this soup is really smooth and the smell and taste are oh so comforting.
So wrap yourself in a blanket with your loved ones, turn on some cheesy flick and sip away....

Without further delay, let us get to making some green peas soup.

Level: Easy
Serves: 4 to 6 people


Ingredients:
2.5 cups green peas (I used frozen)
5 garlic pods, roughly chopped
0.5 medium onion, roughly chopped
8-10 black pepper corns
1/2 inch cinnamon stick
1.5 tsp butter
1/4 cup milk 
3 cups water or as required.
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
Cheese/Croutons for garnish (optional)

Method:
Step 1 - Heat the butter in a pressure pan. Add the cinnamon stick, black peppercorns and garlic. Saute till the garlic turns light brown. 

Step 2 - Add the onions and saute till they turn slightly brown too.

Step 3 - Add the frozen green peas and saute for 4 to 5 mins till they start to sizzle. 

Step 4 - Add water till the peas are just soaked under water. Pressure cook for 3 whistles or till the peas are totally cooked. Let the mixture cool down and then blend it with a little water to form a smooth paste. Strain.

Step 5 - Put the strained mixture in a pot. Add the milk and water. Adjust water till you get your desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil for just a minute.

Serve hot with some bread. You can decorate the soup with some pepper, croutons or some shredded cheese. 

Tips:
I generally use the Vadilal brand frozen peas from Indian stores. They somehow are not as sweet as the green peas you get in the general supermarket freezer section. If you get hold of fresh peas, it would surely make your soup much better. That being said, any kind of frozen peas would work in this recipe. You might just have to add a little more pepper before indulging.

Peas are one of the most nutritious leguminous vegetable, rich in health benefiting phyto-nutrients, minerals, vitamins and anti-oxidants.
100 gms of peas provide only 81 calories and they contain a good amount of soluble and insoluble fibre.They do not contain cholesterol.
Fresh pea pods are an excellant source of folic acid. Peas are a good source of Vitamin C, A and K. 
Need some more information? Head here: Peas

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