Vegetable clear soup

Some evenings you want dinner to be warm, light and done in twenty minutes. This clear soup is exactly that, made with whatever vegetables are in the fridge, plus ginger and garlic for flavour. On its own it is a soother for heavy-lunch days. With a protein add-in, it becomes a proper light dinner.

Why it helps

A big bowl of vegetables in hot, gingery broth fills you up gently, which makes it easier to keep dinner light without feeling deprived. The trick is to add some protein, like boiled moong, paneer cubes or an egg, so the meal actually holds you till morning instead of leaving you hungry at 11 pm. More light dinner ideas

Ingredients (serves 2)

• 1 small carrot, finely chopped
• 5 to 6 french beans, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup shredded cabbage or chopped bottle gourd
• 2 to 3 mushrooms, sliced (optional)
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped ginger
• 3 to 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 green chilli, slit (optional)
• 3 cups water or homemade vegetable stock
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, crushed
• Salt to taste
• 1 teaspoon oil or ghee
• Fresh coriander and a squeeze of lemon, to finish
• Protein add-in: 1/2 cup boiled moong, or a handful of paneer cubes, or 1 to 2 boiled eggs, halved

Method

1. Heat oil in a deep pan and sizzle the ginger, garlic and green chilli for a few seconds until fragrant.
2. Add all the chopped vegetables and stir for 2 minutes on high heat.
3. Pour in the water or stock, add salt, and bring to a boil.
4. Simmer, uncovered, for 7 to 8 minutes until the vegetables are just tender but still have a slight bite.
5. Stir in your protein add-in, boiled moong, paneer cubes or halved boiled eggs, and simmer for 2 more minutes.
6. Finish with crushed pepper, coriander and a squeeze of lemon. Serve steaming hot.

Make it your own

• Keep it vegan with moong or tofu as the add-in and oil instead of ghee.
• Add a small fistful of cooked millet or brown rice to make it a fuller one-bowl meal.
• Feeling low or feverish? A pinch of extra ginger and pepper makes this a gentle sick-day bowl too.

Enjoy it as part of the CurviCare Plate, or push the protein with these high-protein Indian foods.