A news snippet that caught my eye..….. “Passengers of Shatabdi and Vande Bharat Express trains can soon enjoy special tangy tomato soup specially sourced from Punjab. The soup concentrate will be prepared using special tomatoes from Punjab known for their dark red colour”. My thoughts immediately went back to the train journeys that I would enjoy as a kid and the yearning for train tomato soup during our travel from Bangalore to Chennai in the famed Brindavan Express.
A noisy train that can be called a food express…yes food vendors and the menu was known by all of us by rote. Starting with samosas and bread cutlet and ending with tomato soup and bread omelettes while nearing the destination. It was a time when outside food, rather train food was a taboo in my family. Puliodharai, Kanchipuram idli and curd rice would be our fare and we sisters would cast longing glances at the food zipping past us with their tantalising aromas. A stern look from my mother we would immediately dive our heads into Enid Blyton. The most intriguing one was the soup in glass tumblers…a rich red liquid with bread croutons garnish. The tomato soup at home could never match the appearance nor the aroma of Brindavan Express tomato soup.
All of a sudden one day we came to know that our new maid’s husband, a cook has had a short stint in the railway kitchen and lo he shared the famed recipe for the railway tomato soup. When it comes to food and recipes we don’t spare any one. Rustic with ingredients that we never thought of, the soup has become our family favourite. The recipe was indeed a desi twist to a Spanish original. Here is a tangy and spicy tomato soup in the old Railway style to pep up your cold winter evenings. Nendran chips, potato wafers, sago vadams or simple microwaved appalams are the best companions for this winter special.
RAILWAY STYLE TOMATO SOUP / TRAIN TOMATO SOUP / WINTER SPECIAL
Ingredients for Railway Style Tomato Soup Recipe:
- Tomatoes 500g chopped
- Onion 1 large chopped
- Beetroot a slice
- Garlic 4 cloves chopped
- Ginger 2-inch piece roughly chopped
- Coriander leaves few
- Bay leaf 1 small
- Chilly powder 1 tsp
- Coriander powder 1 tsp
- Cumin 1 tsp
- Salt to taste
- Butter 1 chiplet /tsp
- Tomato sauce 1 tbsp
- Sugar ½ tsp
- Pepper to taste
- Bread croutons if desired
Preparation Method for Railway-Style Tomato Soup Recipe:
- Take a heavy-bottomed pan. Add butter followed by cumin, bay leaf, onion, garlic, and ginger. Sauté till the onions are translucent.
- Add tomatoes, beetroot and coriander and sauté till tomatoes wilt.
- Add the spice powders and pour in 500ml of water.
- Add the required salt and simmer covered till the vegetables are soft-cooked.
- Cool, remove the bay leaf, and liquidize in a mixer.
- Strain and bring to a boil. Add enough water to get the right medium-thick consistency. Stir in sugar and tomato sauce. Bring to a boil.
- Serve hot with a sprinkle of pepper. And garnish with croutons.
- A blob of butter can be added during serving if desired.
Tangy & Spicy “Railway Style Tomato Soup” is ready 🙂
