Best Chilled Raita Soup Recipes

CHILLED CORN SOUP

Steps:

• Cut the corn: Hold an ear of corn upright with one end on the cutting board and the other in your non-cutting hand. Use a sharp knife to shave off the kernels in rows from the cob. Rotate the corn and cut close enough to the core so that the kernels remain relatively whole, but not so closely that you end up taking fibrous pieces of the cob with you. Repeat with all of the corn. Gather the kernels in a bowl and reserve the cobs.
• Start the soup: Combine half the olive oil and all the scallions with a generous pinch salt and 1/4 cup water in a large saute pan and cook over medium-low heat until they are translucent and tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside.
• Cook the corn: Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in the same saute pan and add all the corn kernels. Season with salt, then stir in the brown sugar and a generous pinch black pepper. Cook over medium heat until the corn becomes tender, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Finish: Bring the half-and-half and 1 cup water to a gentle simmer in a medium pot over medium heat and add the cobs. Simmer the cobs gently on low heat until they impart their corn flavor to the half-and-half, 12 to 15 minutes. Discard the cobs. Add the Worcestershire and hot sauce and stir to combine. Add the cooked corn and scallions to the pot and simmer on low heat for 3 to 5 minutes. Taste for seasoning.
• Puree half of the liquid and corn in the blender until smooth and pour back into the rest of the soup. Refrigerate until fully cold, at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours.
• Serve: Whisk to blend so some of the remaining corn lands in each bowl as you serve the soup. Taste for seasoning. Ladle into the bowls.

CHILLED BEET SOUP SHOOTERS

Steps:

• Combine the beets, tomatoes, garlic, cloves, 4 cups water, the chicken broth, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper in a pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium low; simmer until the beets are tender, about 30 minutes.
• Working in batches, puree the soup in a blender until smooth; transfer to a large bowl. Whisk in 1/2 cup yogurt and season with salt and pepper. Let the soup cool slightly, then cover and refrigerate until cold, about 2 hours.
• Mix the remaining 3/4 cup yogurt with the horseradish in a small bowl; season with salt. Thin the soup with a little water, if necessary. Serve in shot glasses; top with the horseradish yogurt and dill.

CHILLED BEET SOUP WITH YOGURT AND PEPITAS

Steps:

• Put the beets, coconut milk, lime juice, ginger, salt and pepper to taste in a blender and puree until very smooth. Transfer to a container and chill until ready to serve, at least 1 hour.
• To serve, pour about 3/4 cup soup into each of 4 small glasses; top each with 1 teaspoon yogurt and 1 teaspoon pepitas and serve immediately.

CHILLED CHAYOTE SOUP WITH CILANTRO CREMA FRESCA

Steps:

• Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Add chayote, onion and leek and boil until the chayote is tender, for about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and allow it to cool. In a food processor puree the chayote mixture and add chicken stock, cream, fennel seed, and season, to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside until later.
• In a food processor puree until smooth the cilantro with 1/2 cup of water. In a bowl mix the cilantro paste with the crema fresca thoroughly and season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Place chayote soup in a serving bowls and place a dollop of crema fresca on top.

BLACK BEAN SOUP WITH CHUNKY RAITA

Steps:

• Toast the cumin seeds briefly in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Spoon in the paprika and coriander, then tip in 2½ cans of beans along with their liquid, the tomatoes, tomato purée, bouillon, garlic and 500ml water. Cover and leave to simmer for 15 mins.
• Meanwhile, stir the ingredients for the raita together in a bowl.
• Blitz the cooked beans using a hand blender until completely smooth, then stir in the remaining beans and return to the boil. Serve half and top with half the raita, a chopped avocado and some extra coriander. Leave the remaining soup to cool, then chill for another day. Will keep chilled for four days; the raita will keep for two days. Reheat the soup in a pan over a low-medium heat until piping hot.