Serves: 6
Total Calories: 79

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 bay leaf
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
3 to 4 leeks, white parts only, cleaned and chopped
1 clove fresh garlic (large), minced
1 tablespoon peeled minced fresh ginger
1 cup finely chopped celery stems
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground paprika
3 cups mixed fresh or frozen vegetables, cut into 3/4-inch or smaller pieces, such as green beans, carrots, mixed bell peppers, broccoli, potatoes, peas
1 1/2 pounds ripe tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro, including soft stems + more for garnish
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
2 to 3 cups water

1. Heat the oil in a large nonstick pan over medium high heat. Add the bay leaf and cumin seeds they should sizzle upon contact with the hot oil. Quickly add the leeks and cook, stirring, until they start to turn golden, 3 to 4 minutes.

2. Add the garlic, ginger, and celery, and cook, stirring, about 2 minutes, then mix in the coriander and paprika. Add the vegetables and cook, stirring, until crisp-tender, 7 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.

3. In a food processor or a blender, process together the tomatoes and cilantro to make a fine purée and transfer to .the pan in which the vegetables were cooked. Mix in the salt and black pepper and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low, add the water, cover the pan, and simmer about 10 minutes.

4. Mix in the reserved vegetables and bring to a rolling boil, then simmer about 5 more minutes, or a little longer if you prefer your vegetables to be soft. Transfer to a serving bowl, garnish with cilantro, and serve.

From "1,000 Indian Recipes." Copyright 2002 by Neelam Batra. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Nutritional Facts:

Serves: 6
Total Calories: 79
Calories from Fat: 20

More Recipes from the 1000 Indian Recipes Cookbook:
* Soups
Cabbage Soup with Vegetables
Carrot-Ginger Soup
Cashew Corn Soup in Chicken Broth
Chicken Soup with Chayote Squash
Chicken Soup with Cream-Style Corn and Green Chili Peppers
Chicken Soup with Ginger and Coconut Milk
Chickpea Soup with Chicken Broth
Chilled Chickpea Soup
Chilled Potato Soup
Chilled Roasted Vegetable Soup
Chunky South Indian Tomato Soup
Classic South Indian Ginger Soup
Creamy Almond-Poppy Seed Soup
Creamy Tomato Soup
Curried Green Pea Soup
Fast Black Bean Soup, Indian Style
Fragrant Yogurt Soup
Goan Caldo-Verde Soup with Cauliflower
Goan Shrimp Soup
Mulligatawny Soup
Mysore Coconut Soup
Puréed Mushroom Soup with Yogurt
Puréed Pumpkin Soup
Puréed Spinach Soup
Quick Black Chickpea Soup with Cumin Seeds
Quick Lentil, Barley and Vegetable Soup
Quick Puréed Root Vegetable Soup
Quick Sindhi Split Pigeon Pea Soup with Tamarind
South Indian Buttermilk Soup
South Indian Lemon Soup with Mung Beans
South Indian Tamarind Soup
Spicy Chicken Broth
Spicy Lamb Broth
Spicy Shrimp with Coconut Milk and Tomato
Spicy South Indian Vegetable Soup with Tamarind
Spinach Yogurt Soup
Tomato Soup with Fresh Curry Leaves
Tomato Soup with Sautéed Vegetables
Tomato Soup with Yellow Mung Beans
Traditional South Indian Split Pigeon Pea Soup
Vegetable Soup with Yogurt and Coconut
Vegetarian Broth
Yellow Mung Beans and Spinach Soup with Sizzling Cumin Oil
Yogurt Soup with Flame-Roasted Eggplant