Tomato Soup with Indian Tadka & Mumbai-Style Cheese Toast

Name: Palak Paneer
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 2
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 3 tablespoons vegetable oil divided; 8 ounces fresh spinach washed; 6 ounces to 8 ounces paneer; 1 red onion; 3 tomatoes; 1 teaspoon salt; 6 black peppercorns optional; 1 cardamom optional; 2 cloves optional; An inch piece of ginger optional; 2 medium garlic cloves optional; 1 pinch sugar optional; 4 teaspoons tomato sauce optional; 1 teaspoon garam masala optional; 1 Thai chile diced (optional); 1/4 cup cream or 1/2 cup milk (optional)

Annada Rathi
5 days ago
2 min read

A comforting winter meal with a familiar soul and a gentle Indian twist.This menu pairs a light, coastal-style tomato soup enriched with coconut milk and tadka, alongside a Mumbai-inspired cheese toast packed with onions, chilies, and herbs. Simple pantry ingredients, big flavor, and perfect for cold evenings.

Tomato Soup with Coconut Milk & Tadka

Ingredients (2–3 servings)

3 medium Roma tomatoes
½ can coconut milk
2 tsp ghee (or coconut oil / vegetable oil for vegan)
¼ tsp black or yellow mustard seeds
¼ tsp cumin seeds
A few curry leaves
1 dry red chili (optional)
Salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
A pinch of sugar
Red chili powder, to taste
Cilantro or parsley, for garnish

Equipment

Blender
Saucepan or pot

Method

Blanch the tomatoes Score an “X” at the bottom of each tomato. Drop them into boiling water and cook for about 2 minutes, until the skins begin to peel. Transfer immediately to cold running water to stop cooking. Peel once cooled.
Blend Blend the peeled tomatoes into a smooth pulp. Reserve the blanching water—do not discard.
Prepare the tadka Heat ghee or oil in a pot. Add mustard seeds and cumin seeds and let them pop. Add curry leaves and dry red chili and sauté briefly until aromatic.
Build the soup Immediately add the tomato pulp to prevent the tadka from burning. Add about ¾ cup of the reserved tomato water.
Season and finish Add salt, pepper, sugar, and red chili powder. Stir in the coconut milk and bring to a gentle rolling boil. Garnish with cilantro or parsley.

Notes

This soup is meant to be light and pourable, similar to a Maharashtrian tomato saar.
Keeps well in the fridge and tastes even better the next day.

Mumbai-Style Cheese Toast (Indian Grilled Cheese)

Ingredients

Sliced bread (white or any preferred bread)
½ cup grated Gruyère (or Amul, Havarti, cheddar, or any melty cheese)
½ cup crumbled fresh mozzarella
½ cup finely diced onion
Finely sliced green chili peppers, to taste (optional)
Chopped cilantro
Salt and pepper

Equipment

Skillet or panini press

Method

Prepare the filling In a bowl, combine cheeses, onion, green chilies, cilantro, salt, and pepper.
Assemble Spread 2–3 tablespoons (or more, if you like it indulgent) of the mixture onto one slice of bread. Top with another slice.
Grill Cook on a skillet over medium heat (with a little oil if desired) or in a panini maker until golden brown on both sides and the cheese is melted.
Serve Cut in half and serve hot alongside the soup.

Notes

For extra oozy cheese, overfill slightly—but watch carefully to prevent burning.
This is a forgiving recipe: use whatever bread or cheese you have on hand.

Serving Suggestion

Serve the soup hot in a bowl with the grilled cheese on the side for dipping.A simple, cozy winter meal with maximum comfort and minimal effort.