Sweet and Sour Red Cabbage Soup

This lovely purple soup has the smokiness of cabbage, sweet-tart taste of grape juice and aroma of the spices with the crunchy celery adding body. Simple, yet flavorful.

Serves 2

2 cups Red cabbage (sliced)

1 cup Water

1 cup Fresh grape juice * I used white grape juice. Red grapes gives intense purple color to the soup.

1/4 cup White onion (chopped)

1 Celery stalk (chopped)

1 Jalapeño/ 2 Green chillies (deseeded and minced) *Optional

2 Garlic cloves (minced)

2 teaspoons Grapeseed oil/ Butter

1/2 teaspoon Caraway seeds

1/2 teaspoon Fennel seeds

1 Clove bud

1 Cinnamon stick (1 1/2 inches)

2 Green cardamom (crushed open)

Black pepper powder for seasoning

Salt to taste

Chopped scallions for garnish

Method

• Make a bouquet garni/ spice bag with a cheesecloth. Cut a 3 inch cotton cheesecloth and place fennel seeds, clove bud, cinnamon stick and green cardamom. Bring the corners of the cheesecloth, tie with a string and form a bag. I used a mesh tea infuser ball. This comes in handy for me to make a spice bag.

• Heat water in a pan. Throw in the spice bag/ tea infuser with spices. Let it boil, add cabbage and cook for 8-10 minutes. When it is almost cooked, add the grape juice and simmer for a minute. Remove the pan from heat and let it cool. Once cooled, take out the spice bag and pureé the cabbage-grape juice mixture.

• Heat oil in a pan. Sauté the caraway seeds, garlic, onion and jalapeño for a minute. Now add the celery and let it cook for a couple of minutes.

• Add the pureéd mixture and simmer for about 3 minutes. If the soup is thick, add more water. If it is watery, simmer for a few more minutes till you reach the desired consistency.

Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with chopped scallions and serve hot.