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Broccoli Mint Soup
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Broccoli Mint Soup


Mint and a drizzle of curried yogurt give this creamy (but cream-free) vegetarian soup the vibrant, fresh taste of spring.
Servings 4 cups, 4 first course servings (see Kitchen Notes)

Ingredients

  • 1 pound broccoli, roughly chopped, about 6 cups (can include stems)
  • 4 cups water
  • 1 tablespoon fresh mint, roughly chopped
  • 2 tablespoons yogurt (see Kitchen Notes)
  • 2 tablespoons buttermilk (see Kitchen Notes)
  • 1/2 teaspoon garam masala (or curry powder—see Kitchen Notes)
  • zest of 1 lime
  • salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Bring water to a boil in a large covered saucepan. Lightly salt water, add broccoli and cover pot. Cook broccoli for 5 minutes. Drain broccoli, reserving cooking water, and let cool slightly.
  • Transfer broccoli to food processor, add 2 cups of cooking water and purée for 1 to 2 minutes. Scrape down sides of processor bowl, add mint and continue to blend until smooth. Some recipes caution against blending too much. Not this one—blend the bejesus out of it, to make it nice and creamy. There will still be a slight texture to it when you’ve finished. That’s fine. Set aside and let cool to room temperature.
  • Mix together yogurt, buttermilk, garam masala or curry powder and lime zest. Ladle soup into serving bowls, drizzle with yogurt mixture and serve immediately.

Kitchen Notes

How many servings? This recipe will make four small first course servings, a nice, fresh start to a meal. Or it can serve two generously as a lunch or dinner with a sandwich—with possible leftovers.
Yogurt and buttermilk. The original recipe called for plain yogurt. During the TV preparation, someone threw out the term Greek yogurt. I went with that. Delicious but way too thick. So I thinned it with equal parts buttermilk. If you use regular yogurt, use less buttermilk, adding it gradually until you reach a consistency that will easily pour from the spoon for drizzling on soup before serving.
Garam masala. While it’s primarily thought of as a Northern Indian spice mix, garam masala is actually used throughout South Asia and varies by region. It doesn’t scream Indian food and it doesn’t pack much in the way of heat, but it adds a delicious spiciness. You can find it in the spice aisle of many supermarkets or in Indian grocery stores. The Spice House also sells it in their stores and online. Wherever you get it, read the ingredients. If salt is too high up the list, don’t get it—some we’ve tried are waaaay too salty. If you can’t find garam masala, you can substitute curry powder. The original recipe suggested Madras curry powder, but I would go for one with less heat—you don’t want fire to get in the way of the freshness of the mint and broccoli.