ROASTED CAULIFLOWER & SPINACH SOUP

Velvety cauliflower with the robust flavors of curry powder & spinach along with the nutty creaminess from the Asiago cheese blend to make a delicious & hearty soup.

A simple roasted cauliflower & spinach soup flavored with robust Indian spices that's perfect for a soup season!

Ingredients

• 1/2 head of cauliflower, separated into florets

• 2 bunches of spinach, chopped

• 3 whole cloves of garlic

• 1 tsp garam masala

• 1/2 tsp cumin powder + 1/2 tsp cumin powder

• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds

• 2 tsp oil

• 1 tbsp ghee

• 1/4 cup asiago cheese, grated

• 3 tbsp coconut cream

• salt to taste

• 1/2 tsp pepper

• 1/2 tsp Kasuri methi

• 1/3 water

• 1 - 2 tsp lemon juice

• 1/4 tsp sugar or jaggery (more if needed)

Tempering

• 2 tsp oil

• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds

• 1/4 tsp asafoetida

• 1/2 - chill powder

• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped

Directions

Turn on the oven to 400ºF. In a roasting tray toss your cauliflower florets, garlic cloves, oil, cumin powder, salt, & pepper & bake for about 20 - 25 minutes or until golden brown. It should be soft enough for a knife to be inserted into the stalk without resistance. Set aside to cool.

In a heavy-bottomed dish, add in your ghee & cumin seeds. Once they crisp up (~8-10 seconds) add in your chopped spinach & sauté until wilted. Be sure not to overcook as this may cause your soup to become a little slimy when you blend it.

Add in the roasted cauliflower, roasted garlic, garam masala, cumin powder, jaggery, salt, & pepper and sauté until fragrant. Reserve a few pieces of cauliflower florets for your garnish. Make sure you don’t burn the spices & sauté on a medium-low flame.

Turn off the flame & set aside to cool for a few minutes. With an immersion blender, blend the mixture until smooth & creamy.

Add it back into the pan on a low flame and add some water, a tablespoon at a time, to thin out the soup, if necessary. The water in the spinach is usually enough to thin it out. Simmer on low for 5 minutes to make sure all the flavors meld well.

Add in the coconut cream, kasuri methi, & cheese & stir well. Turn off the flame & add in the lemon juice. This is to make sure that all the flavors balance out & there is no bitterness from the spinach.

For the tempering, heat oil in a small sauté pan & add in the cumin seeds & garlic & allow to crisp up. Be careful not to burn them. Then add in the asafoetida, chilies powder, & turn off the heat. The residual heat is enough for these spices to bloom.

Add the tempering to your large soup dish or your individual soup bowls & garnish with the roasted cauliflower florets that you set aside.

Tips

You can make this soup vegan by leaving out the cheese or substituting a vegan sharp cheese for the Asiago. And substituting oil in for the ghee.