22 April,2012 09:27 AM IST | | Sonal Ved
When we think soup, our mind immediately conjures up images of slurping a hot and creamy liquid on a winter night. But as mercury levels rise in Mumbai, cold soups have become the talk of the town.u00a0
Cold soups, as the name suggests, are soups served at chilled temperatures. Unlike their hot counterparts that are made using conventional vegetables, these cold soups have fruit bases and herb combinations that help our bodies cool down.
What makes them popular is the fact that they are easy on the stomach and aptly fit our need to eat something âlight' during summers. According to macrobiotic nutritionist Shonali Sabherwal, summer is a season when we experience dehydration. "This causes the stomach to contract and we lose our appetite.
This change makes us naturally drift towards foods like salads, leafy vegetables and cold soups that help bring the body's temperature down and combat dehydration." u00a0Picking up from that, a lot of restaurants have introduced cold soups as a part of their summer menus. We try out three restaurants serving cold soups and rate them on their cool quotient.
Gazpacho is a chilled tomato-based soup speckled with raw vegetables. It is one of the most common cold soups available in the city. However, what makes the one available at Corleone stand out is the usage of roasted bell peppers as opposed to raw ones like they use in the traditional Spanish recipe.
The peppers give this soup a unique smoky flavour while the chopped parsley adds a fresh note. The soup has a broth-like consistency and finely diced bits of carrots and capsicums give it a lovely crunch.u00a0
Taste wise, the gazpacho has a peppery hotness and a sour tomato smack as after taste. Together with homemade cheese straws, this is an ideal summer lunch.
You know that balmy summer-evening feeling? The fresh coolness in the air moments after the sun has set? Having this cold soup is like living that moment in every spoon. Made with sour granny smith apples and leeks, the soup at Indigo has balanced flavours.
The bottom of the bowl is dressed with castor sugar-sweetened apples that are arranged like tiny Lego pieces along with crispy celery juliennes. On top, the chef pours a thick green liquid that is mostly sweet, with a hint of sourness coming from the fruit and a rich saffron after taste. If you are looking for a one-shot cure to your summer woes, this should be your choice.
A plate filled with 36 O and B soup is like a playground for diverse textures, temperatures and flavours. The experience starts with the waiter bringing you lukewarm tomato soup. In it, he drops a maize orange glob calling it âdesi ghee'.
As you suspiciously slurp the soup, picking up a little bit of this âghee', your mouth is filled with cold, icy sorbet that tastes of sweetened oranges. The base is of a simple, basil-tinged tomato soup that provides a good platform for the sweet sorbet to shine through. Those who like their food with a twist should try this soup!