Here’s a simple, yet delicious soup recipe perfect for the cold weather. You can prepare this dish with just a few ingredients and enjoy it as a soup or as a sauce with your entree; it goes particularly well with seafood.
As far as I know it is not an Indian dish because I don’t remember ever eating this soup in India. I learned about this soup recently at my wedding; the Seared Sea Bass with Red Pepper Coulis was one of the entrees at my wedding reception! Yes, I tied the knot recently. 🙂 I had never heard of a coulis before and on researching further found out that it was nothing but a red pepper soup/sauce. It was simple to make and turned out absolutely perfect the first time I prepared it.
The original recipe included very few ingredients and I added my twist to it and included the Roasted Cumin Powder, Garlic and Cilantro to add to the flavor.
Servings: 2-3
Ingredients
1 tbsp Olive Oil
2 Red Bell Peppers
1/2 Cup Red Onions
1 tsp Minced Garlic
1/2 tsp Paprika
1/2 tsp Roasted Cumin Powder
Salt to taste
Vinegar or Lemon Juice to taste
Chopped cilantro to garnish
NOTES:
- If you don’t have roasted cumin powder, you can use the regular cumin powder. If you do have whole cumin seeds, it is very easy to make roasted cumin powder. See the related recipes at the end of this post to find out how.
- Any vinegar is good – apple cider, white wine or sherry vinegar.
Preparation
Roast the Peppers
Cut off slices of the bell pepper flesh and discard the stem and seeds.
Place the slices on a baking tray and broil in the oven until the skins turn completely black. This can take 5-20 minutes depending on your oven. In my oven, it takes me about 15 minutes.
Let the peppers cool and then peel off all the skin from the peppers.
NOTE: Alternatively, if you have a gas stovetop you can also roast the peppers directly on the flame. In that case, it may be easier to roast the whole pepper, turning it to roast all sides. You can then peel the peppers, cut them up and discard the seeds and stem. And, of course, be sure to take precautions when cooking on an open flame.
Chop the Onions
Dice or slice the onions, you’re going to puree them so you don’t need to worry about them looking pretty.
Cooking
1. In a pan, heat about 1 tbsp of oil and add the chopped onions and minced garlic and cook on medium heat for 3-4 minutes. Sprinkle a little salt on the onions to speed up the cooking.
2. Add the roasted bell pepper flesh to the pan and add the paprika, roasted cumin powder and about 1/4 tsp salt. Stir and cook for 2 few minutes. NOTE: You can adjust the salt later after you puree the peppers.
3. Pour enough water into the pan to cover its contents and cook covered for 5 minutes on medium-low and turn off the hat.
4. When the peppers cool enough add them to a blender and make a fine puree. Depending on your blender you may need to blend for a few minutes.
5. Pour in a few drops of vinegar or lemon juice, adding it gradually and checking the taste. Serve garnished with chopped cilantro.
Enjoy!
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
- 2 Red Bell Peppers
- ½ Cup Red Onions
- 1 tsp Minced Garlic
- ½ tsp Paprika
- ½ tsp Roasted Cumin Powder
- Salt to taste
- Vinegar or Lemon Juice to taste
- Chopped cilantro to garnish
- Roast the Peppers: Cut off slices of the bell pepper flesh and discard the stem and seeds. Place the slices on a baking tray and broil in the oven until the skins turn completely black. This can take 5-20 minutes depending on your oven. In my oven, it takes me about 15 minutes. Let the peppers cool and then peel off all the skin from the peppers.
- In a pan, heat about 1 tbsp of oil and add the chopped onions and minced garlic and cook on medium heat for 3-4 minutes. Sprinkle a little salt on the onions to speed up the cooking.
- Add the roasted bell pepper flesh to the pan and add the paprika, roasted cumin powder and about ¼ tsp salt. Stir and cook for 2 few minutes. NOTE: You can adjust the salt later after you puree the peppers.
- Pour enough water into the pan to cover its contents and cook covered for 5 minutes on medium-low and turn off the hat.
- When the peppers cool enough add them to a blender and make a fine puree. Depending on your blender you may need to blend for a few minutes.
- Pour in a few drops of vinegar or lemon juice, adding it gradually and checking the taste. Serve garnished with chopped cilantro.
Related Recipes
Looks yummy I will try it!