This Samosa Soup with Cilantro Mint Chutney is full of flavor and heartwarming, to say the least! The cilantro mint chutney adds a whole other dimension which creates an explosion of flavors.
Many years ago, my mom and I traveled to Sri Lanka. We rented a room for 3 weeks from two sisters on the beach in Unawatuna. They cooked us some of the most amazing Sri Lankan dishes. I decided that I would make them something special in thanks for their hospitality. I came up with the idea to make them something they had never tried before and decided on my vegetarian lasagna. My mom and I went with one of the sisters, Chandra, to Galle in search of the ingredients. Of course, they didn’t have lasagna noodles. I was determined to find something close and ended up with a pasta that was the same length as lasagna noodles but was tube shaped as opposed to flat. We then brought all the ingredients back to their home. I cooked the pasta and arranged them out in a single layer. I then topped them with veggies, tomatoes, green chilies, tomato sauce and cheese. I repeated the layering a few more times and voilà, a Sri Lankan lasagna was born. I also made some delicious garlic bread, which was also new to them. They were pretty excited and impressed.
The coolest part was how we had to cook the lasagna. They had a sort of fire pit that they used to cook most of their food in. They burned wood and dried palm leaves to control the heat. I also thought it was cool how they cooked in these huge black clay pots. They had about 35 to 40 in all different sizes. They would be used for soups, curries, etc.
I had some of the most amazing food of my life in Sri Lanka. I find it strange that the one thing I didn’t experience there was samosas. How did I miss them? We ate dal, rice and curry dishes, flatbreads, vegetable roti, lotus root, mango chutney, etc. My all time favorite was an insanely delicious avocado ice cream that I discovered in a tiny hole in the wall. I don’t think I have ever had anything better than that avocado ice cream in my whole life! The food in Sri Lanka is very colorful, spicy, comforting and multicultural. Oh, how I would love to go there again!
This samosa soup is best with a white wine like a Riesling, Pinot Gris, White Rioja, Verdejo or a Sauvignon Blanc.
Samosa Soup with Cilantro Mint Chutney – CaliZona
10 to 12 servings
- 2 Tablespoons Expeller Pressed Grapeseed Oil or Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1/2 White Onion (about 3/4 Cup) – diced
- 1 – 2 Serrano Chilis – minced
- 2 Cloves Garlic – minced
- 2 Teaspoons Fresh Ginger – microplaned
- 1/4 Cup White Wine – optional
- 2 Tablespoon Coriander Seeds
- 1 Teaspoon Cumin Seeds
- 2 Teaspoon Yellow Mustard Seeds
- 1 Teaspoon Garam Masala
- 2 Teaspoon Turmeric
- 8 Cups Filtered Water
- 6 Large or 3 1/2 lb Yellow Potatoes – cut into 1/2 inch cubes
- 2 Carrot – sliced and quartered – about 3/4 cups
- 1 Tablespoon Sea Salt – or to taste
- 1/2 Cup Fresh Cilantro – minced
- 1 Cup Frozen Peas
- 1 1/2 Cups Cilantro
- 1/2 Cup Fresh Mint
- 1 Serrano Peppers (optional)
- 1 1/2 Teaspoons Fresh Ginger Root – microplaned
- 2 Tablespoons Expeller Pressed Grapeseed Oil
- 1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice – fresh squeezed
- 3 Tablespoons Filtered Water (if you like it thinner add a little more water)
- 1/4 Teaspoon Cumin Seeds
- 1/4 Teaspoon Sea Salt or to Taste
*Serve with some naan or crusty bread.
Instructions:
Soup
Add the white wine and cook until the wine is reduced and syrupy.
When the potatoes and carrots are soft, scoop out about 2 to 3 cups to puree then add back to the soup. Add the peas and cook until the peas are hot. About 5 minutes.
Chutney
While the soup is cooking, add all the chutney ingredients to a food processor or blender and blend until desired texture.
You can either add the chutney on top of individual bowls or stir some into the whole batch to your desired taste.
Health benefits:
Yellow Potatoes content of potassium is higher than many foods and can help reduce the risk of hypertension and stroke. They have twice the amount of vitamin C as a Russet, which helps protect your cells from free-radical damage. Yukon’s are rich in B6 and antioxidant properties. It has a bit of Iron but the C helps the body absorb it. They contain fiber that helps reduce cholesterol, stabilize blood sugar, helps prevent constipation and aids in weight loss.
Cilantro is an extreme anti-oxidant immune-booster that helps detoxify the body by loosening them from the tissue, binding to and pulling out toxins and heavy metals. It helps promote a healthy liver function and is an overall digestive aid. It is a powerful anti-inflammatory that may help symptoms of arthritis and joint pain. Cilantro can lower bad cholesterol levels and increase good cholesterol level. It also helps with insulin secretion and lowers blood sugar. It is rich in essential oils, vitamins and is one of the richest herbal sources for vitamin K and dietary fiber. It is also an excellent source of omega-3, omega-6 fatty acids and calcium.
Mint activates the salivary glands just by the aroma alone, which helps promote digestion. It relaxes the muscular lining of the digestive tract and improves the flow of bile through the stomach and soothes the stomach, indigestion, inflammation, abdominal pain, nausea and discomfort associated with IBS. People who suffer from allergies and asthma can benefit from regular use because it is a relaxant and relieves congestion. Mint contains potent antioxidants that decrease levels of free radicals that can cause damage to cells. It is an excellent source of potassium, calcium, iron, manganese and magnesium.
