A bowl of this warm, cozy, and invigorating tomato shorba is so comforting, perfect to be enjoyed during chilly days or all year round! You can also find instructions for the Instant Pot in the post. If you are looking for a change from the classic thick and creamy, restaurant-style tomato soup, you must try this tomato shorba. This rustic soup is so soothing and packs a punch. Since the soup is flavored with fresh coriander stalks it is also known as tamatar (tomato) dhaniya (coriander) ka shorba. This aromatic and flavor-packed tomato coriander shorba is perfect for the winter season. With a little kick from the spices and the sweet-tangy taste of the tomatoes, this tomato shorba is sure to tingle your taste buds and nourish your body and soul!
Why should you try this recipe?
Needs basic pantry ingredients Low in calories, delicious, and quite nutritious Easy to prepare Makes for a light and delicious appetizer Doesn’t need any cream Vegan and gluten-free
Ingredients
Tomatoes: I’ve used hybrid tomatoes as they are not too tart, you could also use Roma or tomatoes on the vine. Whole spices: You will need whole spices like cinnamon, cloves, peppercorns, bay leaves, black and green cardamom, coriander seeds, and cumin seeds. Aromatics: I’ve used a medium sliced onion which is optional. But I recommend adding it as it balances the acidity of the tomatoes. Besides that, you will also need coarsely crushed ginger and garlic. Try using fresh and not readymade paste for the best flavor! Besan: This adds a subtle nutty flavor and thickness to the soup. You may skip it if you wish to. You can also thicken the soup with a little wheat flour instead. Spices: I’ve added some Kashmiri chili powder which gives a beautiful red color to the shorba sans the heat. Along with that, you will need very little turmeric powder, some salt, garam masala, and freshly cracked black pepper. Sugar: I like to add a little sugar to balance out the heat from the spices and counteract the acidity of the tomatoes. Cooking fat: I’ve used sunflower oil. You can also use unsalted butter or plant-based butter. Coriander stalks: This adds a lovely flavor to the soup, do not skip it.
Please see the recipe card for the complete list of ingredients and quantities.
Instructions
Stove top instructions
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil on medium heat in a heavy-bottomed pot. Add 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds, and let it crackle. Lower the heat and add 1-inch cinnamon, 2 cloves, 3 green cardamom, 1 black cardamom, 2 bay leaves, 5 to 6 peppercorns, and 1 tablespoon of crushed coriander seeds and roast for a few seconds, until the spices are fragrant. (Photos 1 and 2) Add about 10 grams each of crushed ginger and garlic and saute until fragrant. (Photos 3 and 4) Add 1/2 cup sliced onions, and saute until onions turn translucent. (Photos 5 and 6) Add 1 tablespoon of besan and roast until it turns golden brown and gives out a nutty aroma. (Photos 7 and 8) Next, add roughly chopped tomatoes (500 grams), 20 grams of coriander stalks, and 1 teaspoon salt, and saute until tomatoes begin to soften. (Photos 9 and 10) Add 1 teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder, 1/4 teaspoon garam masala, 1/8 teaspoon turmeric, 1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper, and 1 teaspoon sugar, and saute until the tomatoes turn mushy. (Photos 11 and 12) Add 4 cups water, mix well, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes. (Photos 13 to 16) Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve placed over a large heatproof bowl. Press the solids using a spatula, and extract as much of the tomato pulp as you can. (Photos 17 to 19) Transfer the shorba back to the pan, and bring to a boil. (Photo 20) Remove the scum with a ladle. Lower the heat and simmer for 4-5 minutes. (Photo 21) Check for seasoning, and adjust with more salt, black pepper, or sugar. (Photos 22 and 23)
Instant Pot/pressure cooker method
Press the ‘SAUTE’ button, set it to ‘NORMAL’ or ‘MEDIUM’ (depending on your IP model), and press ‘START’. Once it displays ‘HOT’, add 1 tablespoon of oil and let it heat up a bit. Add 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds, 1-inch cinnamon, 2 cloves, 3 green cardamom, 1 black cardamom, 2 bay leaves, 5 to 6 peppercorns, and 1 tablespoon of crushed coriander seeds and roast for a few seconds, until the spices are fragrant. (Photos 26 and 27) Add crushed ginger and garlic and saute until fragrant. (Photos 28 and 29) Add 1/2 cup sliced onions, and saute until onions turn translucent. (Photos 30 and 31) Add 1 tablespoon of besan and roast until it turns golden brown and gives out a nutty aroma. (Photos 32 and 33) Next, add roughly chopped tomatoes (500 grams), coriander stalks, and 1 teaspoon salt, and saute until tomatoes begin to soften. (Photos 34 and 35) Add 1 teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder, 1/4 teaspoon garam masala, 1/8 teaspoon turmeric, 1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper, and 1 teaspoon raw sugar, and saute until the tomatoes turn mushy. (Photos 36 and 37) Add 3 cups of water and mix well. (Photo 38) Press ‘CANCEL’. Close the lid of the Instant Pot. Set the valve to ‘SEALING’. Pressure cook on ‘HIGH’ for 5 minutes. It will take some time for the pressure to build up, after which the timer will begin. (Photo 39) Let the pot depressurize for 10 minutes. Then do a quick release of any leftover pressure as per the manufacturer’s instructions. Once the silver pin drops, turn the knob to ‘VENTING’ and open the lid away from you. (Photos 40 and 41) Follow the same process as mentioned in the stovetop instructions to strain and simmer the stock. You may do so in the Instant Pot insert. (Photos 42 to 43)
Serving suggestions
Enjoy this tamatar dhania shorba on its own as an appetizer. You may drink it from a glass since its consistency is quite thin, or serve it in a bowl if you may. Serve it along with some lemon wedges. If the soup is not too tangy, you can squeeze some lemon juice and mix it well. It will instantly lift the flavor of the soup. You can also pair it with papad, croutons, breadsticks, crusty bread, garlic naan, garlic bread, dinner rolls, etc. You may also serve it as a side along with pulao, biryani, or other varieties of rice recipes, etc.
Variations
Creamy shorba: If you prefer some creaminess, you can add a few tablespoons of fresh cream or heavy cream at the end. Alternatively, you can also add some cashew cream or coconut cream. Add vegetables: You can add veggies like diced carrots, beets, spinach, other leafy greens, roasted red bell pepper, etc to this recipe. Carrots will add body and sweetness to the soup. Beets will add a lovely red color to the shorba which will make it even more visually appealing. Add a tadka (tempering) to the shorba: Top the shorba with a tempering made of ghee, cumin seeds, and finely chopped coriander leaves.
Storage
Refrigerator: Allow to cool down completely. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Leftovers are delicious as the flavors deepen as they sit. So you can easily double up this batch and make a large pot of soup. Freeze: You may also freeze in freezer-safe containers (leave some space for expansion) or Zip Top bags for up to 2 to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat in a pan on the stovetop on medium heat, stirring frequently, until thoroughly heated.
Related
You may also enjoy these vegetarian soup recipes; Cook the tomatoes well: Make sure you cook the tomatoes until they soften. When the tomatoes break down, they release their natural sugars which intensify on cooking. Cooking the tomatoes well also helps meld the flavors with the aromatics and spices enhancing the richness and flavor profile of the shorba. Spice level: This tomato shorba is moderately spicy since my kids also enjoy it. You can however feel a subtle hint of heat from the ginger and black pepper. Kashmiri chili powder adds a lovely red color without the heat. However, if you prefer a spicy shorba, you can throw in some dark green chilies, add more crushed black pepper, or add spicy red chili powder/cayenne or red pepper flakes according to your preference. Strain, don’t blend: The soup is simmered for a good amount of time to extract the flavor of the spices and tomatoes, which is all we need. The resultant shorba will have the right amount of heat that complements the sweet-tart flavor of the tomatoes! If you do want to blend, be sure to fish out the whole spices or they will overpower the flavor of the tomatoes. It is a class of soups or stews that are popular in India, the Middle East, Central Asia, Central, and Eastern Europe countries. (Source- Wiki) Shorba can be made with lentils, meat, or vegetables. Vegetarian shorbas are quite popular in India. In terms of Indian cuisine, shorba can be used interchangeably to refer to a soup or it can also be used as a reference to the gravy that is usually served with biryani or pulao. Another notable difference is the flavor profile. Shorbas have a very distinct, robust flavor and kick from the spices, unlike the classic tomato soup which is usually seasoned with salt, pepper, and herbs like thyme, rosemary, etc.
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