QUICK GREEN SIMMER SOUP
For something light and easy to digest… that’s also quick to make… this is it! A super popular recipe from East by West that I often see my Quick Green Simmer Soup tagged on the gram. Wherever there has been some green lacking and the fridge is looking bare - I’ll make this soup.
Wherever there has been some green lacking and the fridge is looking bare - I’ll make this soup. I’ve based it on spinach and green peas, because they are the easiest green veggies to get hold of - both available straight out of your freezer (if necessary), not the same as seasonal, local and fresh but certainly better than many of the instant food alternatives. Easy to make and so flavoursome that you don’t need any dairy or broth to make it sing. If you have some bone broth, by all means add it to boost the nutrients, but there’s definitely no need for bouillon.
I love how quick this soup is to make. From simmering the spinach and peas to puréeing — it’s 15 minutes tops from start to finish. Keep it interesting with different toppings — a simple swirl of olive oil and some toasted pumpkin seeds with a grating of Parmesan, a spicy tarka to get some spices in there or add some smoked paprika and cinnamon or Aleppo chilli and a bit of yoghurt for a Moroccan take.
INGREDIENTS
Recipe serves 2
*Vegan - if you swap out the ghee
INGREDIENTS:
1 tbsp ghee or your choice of cooking fat, plus extra for serving (optional)
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
400g (generous 21⁄2 cups) frozen peas
500ml (2 cups) water or homemade bone broth (see page 261 East by West)
200g (4 cups) spinach leaves or 6 frozen spinach nuggets
1⁄2 tsp sea salt
OPTIONAL TO SERVE
2 tsp lime juice, plus ghee and Parmesan or nutritional yeast
1 1⁄2 tbsp ghee
1 tsp each cumin and coriander seeds
Pinch of asafoetida
Spoonful of homemade yoghurt (see page 259 East by West) or try this almond mayo
1 tsp smoked paprika, 1⁄2 tsp ground cinnamon or Aleppo chilli
METHOD
Heat the ghee in a medium saucepan over medium– high heat and sauté garlic for 1 minute. Add the peas and water and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 2—3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the peas are tender and bright green. Stir in the spinach, cover and cook for 2—3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the spinach has wilted.
Blend in batches until smooth, adding a little water to reach your desired consistency. Season with salt.
I like to top this soup in different ways. One option is to squeeze in a little lime juice, swirl with ghee and grate over some Parmesan. Otherwise, to make a tarka, heat the ghee in a saucepan on a medium–high heat and fry the cumin seeds, coriander seeds and asafoetida for 1 minute until fragrant. Pour the tarka over the soup.
East by West tip: Pair with some Ragi Rotis (see page 62 of East by West), if you want something more filling, or throw in some cooked basmati rice if you want to take this up a level for guests - a great way to balance any cold and dry Vata qualities that may have been coming through in this cooler weather.