This recipe for chilled soup has been adapted from Constance Spry’s cookbook, written in 1956, to include fresh cucumber and toasted spices.
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Ingredients
- 1½ tbsp cumin seeds
- 1½ tbsp coriander seeds
- 1½ tsp green cardamom seeds (from 8-10 pods)
- 250ml olive oil
- 4 shallots, finely sliced
- Large pinch ground turmeric
- Large pinch cayenne pepper
- 2 slices day-old rustic white bread
- 1 large cucumber, peeled and cut into chunks
- 200g ground almonds
- 1 garlic clove, halved
- Juice 1-2 lemons
- Natural yogurt to serve
For the herb oil
- 50ml each rapeseed oil and olive oil
- Handful each fresh coriander, basil and mint, finely chopped
- Lemon juice to taste
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Method
- Toast the spice seeds in a dry pan for 2-3 minutes until fragrant, shaking so they don’t burn. Cool, then grind to a powder with a pestle and mortar or in a spice grinder.
- Heat 50ml of the olive oil in a pan and add the shallots. Fry gently for 10 minutes without colouring, then add the ground spice seeds, turmeric and cayenne. Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring, then tip onto a plate to cool. Meanwhile, soak the bread in 300ml cold water for 15 minutes.
- Whizz the cucumber in a blender or food processor. Add the almonds, soaked bread and soaking water, garlic, lemon juice, cooled shallots, a pinch of salt and the remaining 200ml oil, then whizz until smooth (see tip). Taste and season, then chill for at least 3 hours.
- For the herb oil, whizz the oils, herbs and lemon juice until blended. Season to taste. To serve, ladle the soup into bowls, swirl in some yogurt, then drizzle over a little herb oil.
Nutrition
- 643kcals Calories
- 62.9g (7.2g saturated) Fat
- 10.3g Protein
- 12.2g (3.7g sugars) Carbs
- 1.2g Fibre
- 0.2g Salt
For 6 servings
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