Pumpkin Soup
Pumpkin is full of minerals such as potassium and zinc which work to help to keep hair healthy and encourage hair re-growth. Zinc helps to encourage collagen production, which stimulates dying hair follicles and encourages stronger re-growth.
Ingredients
- For Cooking Pumpkin In Pressure Cooker:
- 250 grams Pumpkin (2.75 cups)
- ⅓ cup Onion, chopped
- 1 or 2 small Garlic cloves - roughly chopped
- 1 cup Water
- Other Ingredients:
- 2 to 3 tsp Olive oil (optional)
- ¼ tsp Dry oregano
- ½ tsp Dry thyme (ajavaayan phool) (optional)
- ½ tsp Sugar (optional)
- ½ tsp Black pepper powder
- To taste salt
- For Garnish:
- 1 or 2 tsp Grated cheese - cheddar or vegetarian parmesan, (optional)
- 1 to 2 tbsp Bread croutons (optional)
- 1 tbsp Whipping cream (optional)
Instructions
- Cooking Pumpkin:
- Rinse, peel and chop 250 grams pumpkin in cubes. Also chop 1 medium sized onion and 1 to 2 small garlic cloves.
- Add the pumpkin cubes, chopped onions and garlic in a 2 liter pressure cooker.
- Now add ¾ to 1 cup water. For a thick soup add less water.
- Cover and pressure cook on medium flame for 8 to 9 minutes. If you do not have a pressure cooker, then you can even cook the pumpkin cubes in a pan. Add water as required if cooking in a pan.
- When the pressure settles down, open the lid. Let the pumpkin mixture become warm.
- Then with an hand held mixer or beater, blend the whole mixture. You can even add the mixture in a blender or grinder jar and then blend to a smooth puree. Do not blend when hot as then the mixture splutters.
- Blend till smooth. You can keep the soup slightly chunky if you want.
- Making Pumpkin Soup:
- Now keep the cooker back on stovetop on a low to medium flame. Add 2 to 3 teaspoons olive oil. Adding olive oil is optional and you can skip it completely for a no fat soup. You can even add butter or sunflower oil instead of olive oil.
- Mix very well. Then add ¼ teaspoon oregano and ½ teaspoon thyme and crushed black pepper as required. You can add your choice of herbs. Both dried herbs or fresh herbs can be added.
- Add ½ teaspoon sugar (optional) and salt as per taste.
- Mix well. If the pumpkin is sweet, then skip adding sugar.
- Let the soup come to a gentle simmer till it becomes hot. Then turn off the flame.
- Serve pumpkin soup hot or warm. You can garnish with some grated cheese or herbs or bread croutons or cream. This soup can be served chilled too.