Anglo-Indian tomato soup

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 tsp vegetable oil
• 1 large bay leaf
• 1 m.-sized onion(s)
• 1 large carrot(s), peeled and sliced
• 1 stalk(s) Celery, sliced
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 cm ginger root, fresh, peeled, coarsely chopped
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 650 g tomatoes, chopped
• n. B. sugar
• Salt
• Pepper, freshly ground
• 100 ml milk

Instructions

Working time approx. 25 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 40 minutes; Total time approx. 1 hour 5 minutes

Heat the butter and oil in a large saucepan. Fry the bay leaf for about 20 seconds. Add the onion, carrot, celery, garlic, and ginger. Sauté over low heat. Then add the starch and sauté for 1-2 minutes while stirring; it should not brown. Add the tomatoes, sugar, salt, and pepper and cook for 20-30 minutes, until the tomatoes have reduced to a thick paste. Brown the reduced tomatoes for about 5-6 minutes while stirring; this intensifies the flavor. Remove the bay leaf and puree the mixture with a little water until smooth. Stir in the milk and enough water until the soup has a creamy consistency. Bring back to a boil and serve hot. Serve with garlic bread, if desired. The photo of the soup shows the unpureed state of the finished product. Note: I love Indian cuisine; I’ve been there myself. During the British colonial period, tomato soup came to India and was modified with additional flavors.