Grandma Lily’s Soup

It’s a third-generation recipe from my Nana Lily. When we were kids, she would make it with alphabet macaroni. I still get nostalgic – every time I would fall sick, my Nana would make the alphabet soup with chicken bone stock. She would top the soup up with shredded chicken to make it a wholesome meal. Did you know chicken stock boosts immunity and cures a sore throat?

Ingredients

  • For the stock – any veggies you have in your house
  • 1/4 Kg Yellow Pumpkin
  • 3 Ripe Tomatoes (medium)
  • 2 Peeled Carrots (medium)
  • 1 Green Capsicum (medium)
  • 7-8 Garlic Cloves
  • 8 Pepper Corns
  • 1/4 Stalk Celery
  • 1/4 Stalk Celery
  • 1 Sprig of Spring Onion
  • Oil for Cooking
  • 1 Maggie Soup Cube (optional)

Preparation

Prep: 10 minutes
Cooking: 45 minutes


  1. Roughly chop all the veggies and put them in a pressure cooked filled with water. Pop in unpeeled garlic and whole pepper corns before putting the lid.
  2. Put the gas on high flame till the first whistle. Afterwards, turn the gas on low flame and let it cook for 35-40 minutes. Once done, allow it to cool down completely.
  3. Drain the excess stock from the vegetables into another pot (make sure you keep blanched garlic cloves aside) and puree in a blender.
  4. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil, squeeze the garlic pods (saved from the above process) and add chopped spring onions. Sauté for 2 minutes.
  5. Add pureed vegetables, 1 Maggie soup cube and mix well. Add vegetable stock and let it simmer for 10 minutes.
  6. Season with salt and pepper before serving.

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