Tomato and noodle soup

Pleasantly chill winter nights call for special warmer called soups……….i never thought i was a soup person…. I mean I used to sip my Cantonese soup on my by now scalded tongue every time we went out for Chinese (which was about twice a year) only because it was the tradition to have a soup before the main course (of chow mien…yay!!) and because that’s the way my parents had ordered the food….it wasn’t until many years later that I found out that there were many countries other than china that had soup as part of their meal….naturally I took my time discovering soups and they are still my favourite diet food, also my recovering from a bad cold or high fever food…..they’re also my quick fix for a fuss free meal when I have to feed only myself for dinner food…..ok let me rephrase….. for a not so regular soupy person, I turn to them for warmth and comfort that only soup can give you……………and in the last few years, rarely have they failed me….. this then is a typical no nonsense easy to put together tomato soup, with some noodles thrown in to up the carbohydrate quotient. Simple and filling and great for a chilly evening and my hips are surely saying thank you tonite!!

Simple tomato soup with noodles

2 medium ripe tomatoes (I used the desi variety)

½ tsp fresh ginger, coarsely chopped

1 clove garlic

3-4 peppercorns

¼ of an onion, roughly chopped

1 ½ cups water

Salt to taste

A few sprigs cilantro or a stick of celery

A handful of noodles or some spaghetti

Bring all the above except the noodles to a boil, or pressure cook for 2 whistles. Cool for a while and blend together in a mixer. Strain through a soup sieve, put it back on the stove, add the noodles and simmer till done. Garnish with cilantro or celery and serve hot.