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Jain Tomato Shorba

The Quirky Foodster Team

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10 minutes
Prep
25 minutes
Cook
4
Servings

Ingredients

  • 800 g (6-7 medium) ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped
  • 2 tbsp ghee or oil
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 cloves
  • 1 small cinnamon stick
  • 1/4 tsp asafoetida
  • 1 tbsp gram flour (besan)
  • 600 ml (2 1/2 cups) water or vegetable stock
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • Salt, to taste
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
  • 2 tbsp fresh cream, plus extra to serve
  • 10 g (2 tbsp) fresh coriander, chopped

Method

  1. Heat the ghee in a pot over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds, bay leaf, cloves and cinnamon, and let them sizzle for 30 seconds until fragrant.
  2. Add the asafoetida and gram flour, and stir for 1 minute to cook out the raw flour smell.
  3. Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8-10 minutes until they collapse and turn jammy.
  4. Pour in the water or stock, add the sugar and salt, and simmer for 12-15 minutes until the tomatoes are fully soft.
  5. Remove the whole spices, then blend the soup until smooth. Pass through a sieve for an extra-silky texture if desired, then return to the pot.
  6. Reheat gently, stir in the black pepper and cream, and adjust seasoning.
  7. Ladle into bowls, swirl over a little extra cream, and finish with fresh coriander.

Introduction: A warmly spiced tomato soup found on Indian restaurant menus everywhere, shorba is easily adapted to
Jain requirements by building its aromatic base from cumin, whole spices and asafoetida instead of the
more usual onion and garlic. It remains rich and savoury thanks to a generous hand with whole spices and a
final swirl of cream.

Cultural Background: A warmly spiced tomato soup found on Indian restaurant menus everywhere, shorba is easily adapted to
Jain requirements by building its aromatic base from cumin, whole spices and asafoetida instead of the
more usual onion and garlic. It remains rich and savoury thanks to a generous hand with whole spices and a
final swirl of cream.

Tips: Very ripe, in-season tomatoes give the best natural sweetness and colour. Toasting the gram flour briefly before adding liquid prevents any raw, floury taste in the finished soup.

Variations: Add a pinch of dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi) at the end for a restaurant-style aroma. Finish with a few fried croutons made from leftover roti for texture.

Storage: Keeps in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Reheating: Reheat gently in a pot over low heat, stirring, for 5 minutes; avoid boiling hard once cream is added, to
prevent splitting.

Nutrition (approximate, per serving)
Approx. 150 kcal, 3g protein, 10g fat, 13g carbohydrate, 3g fibre per serving.

Vegetarian / Vegan
Vegetarian as written; use coconut cream and oil instead of dairy cream and ghee to make vegan.

FAQs:

Q: Can I skip the gram flour?

A: Yes, it's mainly there to lightly thicken the soup — simply simmer a few minutes longer to reduce and thicken naturally instead.

Q: Is this the same as regular tomato soup?

A: It's closer to an Indian restaurant-style shorba — spiced with whole spices and finished with cream, rather than a plain Western-style tomato soup.

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