Tomato soup and one more Award

                                                                 
I've received an award from my dear  friend Fatima. Dear Fatima, I appreciate your generosity. You have a wonderful  blog and mouthwatering recipes.Also, I want to share this award with all my bloggywood friends, please feel free and accept the award !!! 

                                                           

Now lets get down to today's recipe ' Tomato Soup'. Soups serve as an excellent appetizer when served before meals. And home made tomato soup is any day better than the ready to make packets. Soup has many health benefits. Tomato contains lycopene (the red pigment in tomato), this pigment is a powerful antitoxidant which helps in  fighting cancer. Tomato is also known as great antiseptic which can help protect against various infections. For best results in taste buy over ripe tomatoes or stock it 2-3 days before making soup (but not in the fridge as they won't ripen then). With little effort you can make it at your home and relish the freshness. 


Serves: 4, Preparation time: 35 minutes


Ingredients: 
6 over ripe Tomatoes
1 Carrot (peeled and coarsely grated)
1 Onion (finely chopped)
3-4 Garlic flakes (crushed)
2 tsp Ginger (crushed)
1 tsp Garam masala
1 tsp Sugar
2 Green chillies
Black pepper powder as per taste
1/2 cup Milk
1 tbsp Cornflour
6 cups of Water
Salt to taste


For Garnishing:
 Butter
1 tbsp Green corinader (chopped)


For Croutons:
2 Bread slices (cut into small cubes)
Oil for frying bread cubes


Method:
Heat oil in a pan and fry bread cubes untill golden brown, drain the extra oil and keep aside.
Wash the tomatoes and cut it into halves. In a deep frying pan cook the tomatoes with onion, carrot, ginger, garlic, green chillies, bay leaf and 6 cups of water. Cook on a moderate heat for 20 minutes untill the tomatoes are soft. Remove the outer skin of the tomatoes and bay leaf. Let them cool to room temperature.
Now grind the mixture finely in a blender. Strain the mixture with a soup strainer. Now put it back in the pan, bring it back to a simmer, add sugar, garam masala and salt. Dilute cornflour with half cup of milk to make a smooth paste. And pour it in the soup. Let it boil for 5 minutes, also add water if required for the consistency.
To enrich the soup and for silky texture, whisk in the cream mixture and serve immediately with a dash of butter, black pepper, coriander leaves and fried croutons.

                                               
User Comments & Tips: 
Just before serving the soup add croutons . Otherwise if put while cooking or all together in the ready soup they will get soggy and dissolve in the soup.