Sight-saving Curried Spinach-Potato Soup

Sight-saving Curried Spinach-Potato Soup Recipe - Vegetarian Food

Preparation time: 15 minutes | Cooking time: 20 minutes | Servings: 4 |

Vegetarian diet

Introduction

This Sight-saving Curried Spinach-Potato Soup is a delicious and nutritious dish that is perfect for a cozy night in. The combination of spinach, potatoes, and curry powder creates a flavorful and comforting soup that is sure to warm you up from the inside out.

History

This recipe is inspired by traditional Indian cuisine, where curries are a staple dish. The addition of spinach and potatoes adds a unique twist to the classic curry flavors, creating a soup that is both hearty and healthy.

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil
1 cup chopped leeks, white and light green parts
1 tbsp curry powder, or to taste
2.5 cups vegetable stock
2 small white potatoes, peeled, cut into 0.5 inch pieces (about 1.5 cups)
1 tsp salt
4 packed cups (about 4 oz or 113 g) fresh baby spinach leaves
2 cups low-fat (1%) milk
freshly ground black pepper to taste
plain nonfat yogurt, for garnish, optional

How to prepare

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.
Add the leeks and 1 tbsp of water, and cook, stirring often, until tender, about 5 minutes.
Add the curry powder, and stir for 30 seconds.
Add the stock, potatoes, and salt, and bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes.
Stir in the spinach and cook until just wilted, about 1 minute.
Allow the mixture to cool slightly.
Purée the soup in a blender until it is almost smooth; work in batches if necessary.
Return the soup to the saucepan.
Add the milk and cook over medium-low heat.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Ladle the soup into 4 bowls.
Garnish with a swirl of yogurt, if desired, and serve.

Variations

For a vegan version, you can use coconut milk instead of dairy milk.
Add some cooked chickpeas or lentils for extra protein and fiber.
Experiment with different spices such as cumin or coriander for a unique flavor profile.

Cooking Tips & Tricks

Be sure to cook the leeks until they are tender before adding the curry powder to ensure that the flavors are well-developed.

- For a smoother soup, be sure to blend it until it is almost smooth in a blender.

- Adjust the amount of curry powder to suit your taste preferences - you can always add more or less to achieve the desired level of spiciness.

Serving Suggestions

This soup pairs well with a side of crusty bread or a simple green salad for a complete meal.

Cooking Techniques

Be sure to cook the leeks until they are tender before adding the curry powder to ensure that the flavors are well-developed.

- For a smoother soup, be sure to blend it until it is almost smooth in a blender.

Ingredient Substitutions

You can use regular potatoes instead of white potatoes if that is what you have on hand.

- If you don't have leeks, you can use onions as a substitute.

Make Ahead Tips

This soup can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Simply reheat it on the stove before serving.

Presentation Ideas

Garnish each bowl of soup with a swirl of yogurt and a sprinkle of freshly ground black pepper for a beautiful presentation.

Pairing Recommendations

This soup pairs well with a side of crusty bread or a simple green salad for a complete meal.

Storage and Reheating Instructions

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat the soup on the stove over low heat until warmed through.

Nutrition Information

Calories per serving

Each serving of this soup contains approximately 200 calories.

Carbohydrates

Each serving of this soup contains approximately 25 grams of carbohydrates.

Fats

Each serving of this soup contains approximately 5 grams of fat.

Proteins

Each serving of this soup contains approximately 6 grams of protein.

Vitamins and minerals

This soup is rich in vitamins A and C, as well as potassium and iron.

Alergens

This recipe contains dairy in the form of milk, so it may not be suitable for those with lactose intolerance or dairy allergies.

Summary

This soup is a good source of carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, and minerals, making it a well-rounded and nutritious meal option.

Summary

This Sight-saving Curried Spinach-Potato Soup is a flavorful and nutritious dish that is perfect for a cozy night in. With a rich blend of spices, vegetables, and creamy milk, this soup is sure to become a new favorite in your recipe rotation.

How did I get this recipe?

I have a clear memory of the first time I saw this recipe for Sight-saving Curried Spinach-Potato Soup. It was a chilly autumn day, and I was visiting my dear friend Maria in her cozy kitchen. Maria has always been a wonderful cook, and I loved watching her work her magic with ingredients.

As we chatted over cups of steaming tea, Maria suddenly got up and rummaged through her collection of cookbooks. She pulled out an old, tattered recipe book that looked like it had seen better days. Flipping through the pages, she finally landed on a recipe that caught my eye - Sight-saving Curried Spinach-Potato Soup.

Maria explained that this soup was not only delicious but also packed with nutrients that were good for the eyes. As someone who has always struggled with poor eyesight, I was immediately intrigued. I asked Maria where she had gotten the recipe from, and she told me that it had been passed down to her from her grandmother, who had learned it from a traveling spice merchant in India many years ago.

Maria graciously offered to teach me how to make the soup, and I eagerly accepted. We gathered all the ingredients - fresh spinach, potatoes, onions, garlic, curry powder, and a few other spices - and got to work.

The first step was to sauté the onions and garlic in a large pot until they were golden brown and fragrant. Then we added the curry powder and let it toast for a few minutes, releasing its warm, earthy aroma.

Next, we added diced potatoes and vegetable broth to the pot, allowing everything to simmer until the potatoes were tender. Then came the star ingredient - the spinach. We chopped it up and added it to the pot, letting it wilt and mingle with the other flavors.

As the soup bubbled away on the stove, Maria shared with me the story of how her grandmother had come to learn this recipe. She told me that her grandmother had been a young bride in a small village in India when the spice merchant had come through town. He had been selling his wares and sharing his knowledge of the healing properties of various spices.

Maria's grandmother, intrigued by the idea of using food as medicine, had struck up a conversation with the merchant and had invited him to her home to cook for her family. The merchant had made this soup for them, explaining that the combination of spinach, potatoes, and spices was not only delicious but also good for the eyes.

Maria's grandmother had been so impressed by the soup that she had asked the merchant to teach her how to make it. He had agreed, and over the course of a few days, he had patiently shown her the steps, explaining the significance of each ingredient and how they worked together to create a nourishing and healing dish.

By the time the merchant had left the village, Maria's grandmother had mastered the recipe and had passed it down through the generations. Maria herself had learned it from her grandmother and had been making it ever since.

As the soup finished cooking, Maria ladled it into bowls and garnished it with a dollop of yogurt and a sprinkle of fresh cilantro. We sat down at the table and savored the warm, comforting flavors of the Sight-saving Curried Spinach-Potato Soup.

I could feel the nourishing properties of the soup seeping into my body, warming me from the inside out. And as I took each spoonful, I felt a sense of gratitude for the generations of women who had passed down this recipe, each one adding their own touch and making it their own.

I left Maria's house that day with a full belly and a happy heart, carrying with me not just a delicious recipe but a piece of history and tradition. I knew that this soup would become a staple in my own kitchen, a reminder of the power of food to heal and nourish both body and soul. And every time I made it, I would think of Maria, her grandmother, and the traveling spice merchant who had brought this gift into their lives.

As the years passed, I continued to make Maria's Sight-saving Curried Spinach-Potato Soup, tweaking it here and there to suit my own tastes and preferences. And with each pot that bubbled away on my stove, I felt a connection to the past and a sense of gratitude for the women who had come before me, passing down their knowledge and recipes with love and generosity.

So now, whenever I make this soup for my own family and friends, I share the story of how I learned to make it and the memories of that chilly autumn day in Maria's kitchen. And I hope that with each spoonful, they too can feel the warmth and nourishment of this special dish, carrying on the tradition and passing it down to future generations.