Broccoli Almond soup/ Creamy almond broccoli soup recipe

Broccoli is a delicious healthy vegetable. It is one of the versatile vegetables which goes great in crunchy salads to creamy soups, stirfries to Indian sambhar and rice dishes such as Pulao to noodles! Though it was a less-known vegetables to Indians till recent years, now people here get it and likes it as I know.

I am sharing a delicious creamy soup recipe made with a combination of broccoli and almonds which is favorite of the western world. This soup is delicious at the same time healthy with loaded nutrients. It is a friendly recipe for weight watchers and low glycemic dish too.

Preparation time: 1 hour (including soaking time of almonds)

Cooking time: 15 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

Broccoli florets & stalk – 1 cup

Almonds – 10-12

Onions – 1 medium

Garlic cloves – 8-10

Salt – ½ tsp, adjust to taste

Pepper powder – to taste

Turmeric powder – a pinch

Ghee/ oil – 1 tsp

Method:

• Soak almonds for 2 hours.  If you have less time, then soak them in hot water.
• Wash broccoli in running water once, Separate the florets and stalk with sharp knife.
• Wash the florets in running water once again.  Now, take the broccoli florets in a thick bottomed vessel, pour water until the florets are covered. Add ¼ tsp of salt and a pinch of turmeric. Bring this to a quick boil, don’t over boil it. This process is just to clean the veg.
• Switch off the heat, drain the water when it cools a bit.
• Meanwhile, peel garlic cloves. Peel onions, wash and chop them roughly.
• Now keep a thick bottomed pan/ kadai for heating (medium flame). Add oil/ ghee.
• Add chopped onions & peeled garlics, sauté for a minute.
• Add the cleaned broccoli stalk & florets to it.
• Fry for 5-6 minutes on medium flame. Add 1 – 1.5 glasses of water.
• Add soaked almonds. Boil well, until broccoli is cooked.
• Once done, switch off the heat and allow cooling.
• Grind everything to make smooth paste/ soup. Keep 6-8 florets aside for garnishing.
• Now add enough water to bring the soup to required consistency.
• Add salt, pepper powder and bring to a boil.
• Add minced florets of broccoli kept for garnishing. Also some slivered almonds for extra taste.
• Serve the hot filling soup.

Notes:

• You can add ½ cup of milk/coconut milk while boiling the soup to make it creamy.
• More broccoli makes the soup thick, hence add as required.
• Broccoli stalks take more time to cook, so recommended to add the florets after stalks are partially cooked.