Samosa soup

Tam West

I keep seeing samosas and nearly buying one, but then I get put off by all that fried pastry. The potato, pea and spice are the main attraction and provide the inspiration for this soup. Grated agria potato gives body in the first stage of cooking, then halfway through I add a cubed red potato which holds its shape. There’s a solid base of flavour in the soup itself, but it’s the toppings, like the fresh and fragrant coriander, that bring it to life. The best samosas I’ve eaten had lots of chopped green chilli in them. Sprinkle some on when you serve the soup so you can tailor the heat to suit. Still hankering for a bit of that pastry crunch? Crushed poppadoms to the rescue! Get the little ones from an Indian shop and hold them over a gas flame till they puff up and get slightly charred. As a finishing touch, sprinkle with a dash of toasted and ground cumin seed.

Ingredients

1 tsp	Cumin seeds
1 tsp	Fennel seeds
2 tsp	Coriander seeds
1 tsp	Ground turmeric
1 Tbsp	Curry powder (Main)
2 Tbsp	Canola oil
1 Tbsp	Ginger, finely grated
4 cloves	Garlic, finely grated
1 medium	Onion, finely chopped
4 cups	Vegetable stock
1	Agria potato, grated (Main)
1 tsp	Salt
1	Red potato, peeled and cubed (Main)
2 cups	Frozen peas (Main)

To serve

1 handful	Fresh coriander, chopped
4	Poppadoms, toasted and then crushed (Main)
1 handful	Cumin seeds, toasted

Directions

1. Toast the cumin, fennel and coriander seeds with the tumeric and curry powder in a heavy pot on medium heat for about 30 seconds then grind together in a mortar and pestle.
2. Return to pot with the oil then add ginger, garlic and onion. Fry gently for a few minutes to soften onion then add stock, grated agria potato and salt. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
3. Add red potato and simmer another 15 minutes until soft, then give a gentle mash, keeping plenty of chunks of potato intact. Add the peas and simmer another 5 minutes.
4. Top each bowl with desired amount of coriander, chilli, crushed poppadom and cumin seed.