Recipe: Potato and broccoli soup with ginger and cardamom

The slight bitterness of broccoli, the earthiness of potatoes, the spiciness of ginger, and the sweetness of cardamom add up to a really gorgeous soup. It’s perfect for these wet days.

I adjusted the recipe for a friend on the Weight Watchers diet, reducing the amount of potato and adding more broccoli instead. It’s a foolproof recipe and will serve at least four people.

Ingredients

• 1 large head and stalks of broccoli, chopped evenly
• 3 potatoes, peeled and chopped into rounds
• 1 leek, peeled, washed, and chopped
• 1 onion, peeled and chopped
• 1 celery stick, chopped (optional)
• 1 clove of garlic, chopped
• 1 inch ginger, chopped
• 9 cardamom pods
• 1litre of vegetable stock
• 1 knob of butter or olive oil

Method

• In a large pot, sweat the leek, onions, celery (if using – no need to buy it specially) and garlic in the oil or butter over a medium heat, covered, until the onions are translucent – about 3-4 mins.  Stir occasionally.
• Add the potatoes and ginger and sweat for another two minutes. Meanwhile dry-fry the cardamom pods for about two minutes.
• Add the broccoli to the pot and mix with the other ingredients for a minute or two.
• Remove the cardamom seeds from their pods and add to the pot. Now tip in the vegetable stock.
• Mix well and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for about 15 minutes, or until the potatoes have softened.
• Blend well – you don’t want to chow down on a lump of ginger or a cardamom seed. Return to the heat and simmer for a further 10 minutes or so.