Apple and Carrot Soup (with Indian Spices)

This easy to make pressure cooker soup (Instant Pot and Stove Top) is a soothing, warm hug in a bowl kinda soup with exotic spices like star anise, cloves and cinnamon! Paired with some toasted bread slices or even a sandwich it makes for a complete meal.

2 to 3 tablespoons cooking oil or butter/ghee

1 cup roughly chopped onions

1 cup peeled and chopped carrots

1 cup peeled and chopped apples

½ piece ginger, roughly chopped

2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced or chopped

1 green chili/jalapeno, sliced or cut into roundels

2 cloves

1 inch piece cinnamon stick

1 star anise

1 bay leaf

6 black peppercorns

½ tsp haldi/turmeric powder

Regular Salt or Pink Salt to taste

FOR GARNISH:

Pumpkin seeds

Cilantro/coriander leaves (or parsley leaves)

ChoppedMint leaves

Bread croutons etc.

PREPPING THE INGREDIENTS:

Wash, peel and chop carrots and apples.

Cut onions into chunks.

Grate, chop or mince ginger and garlic.

Chop or slit green chilies/jalapenos.

In an Instant Pot or a regular stove top pressure cooker, add the required amount of oil/butter and/or ghee.

When hot, stir in the whole spices; cloves, star anise, cinnamon, black pepper corns and bay leaves.

Let them bloom in the hot oil for a few seconds and then add the rest of the ingredients: ginger, garlic, onions, chilies and carrots.

Sauté on medium heat, stirring often until they are lightly fried or roasted; about 2 to 3 minutes.

Stir in chopped apples with turmeric powder and stir fry for a minute more.

Add water to cover the vegetables fully (about 2 cups) and give it a good mix, taking care to scrape the bottom of the pan (especially in the Instant Pot, to avoid “Burn” signal!).

Close and pressure cook on high in Instant Pot for 3 minutes or 2 whistles in the Indian style Pressure Cooker.

Let the pressure drop naturally (or you can quick release the pressure but carefully).

This can be made in a saucepan on a stove top too, just takes a longer time.

Strain the soup using a sieve or strainer and remove whole spices (cloves, bay leaf and especially star anise) if you want the want the soup less spicy (or you can leave it in).

Make a fine puree of the strained veggies/fruit and transfer back to the Instant pot or pressure pan or into a saucepan.

(Or, you could use an immersion blender to make a fine puree in the pressure pan or instant pot itself).

Add more water or vegetable broth to get the consistency of soup you and your family like; we like it fairly thin but you could make it thick and creamy too; whatever your choice.

Add salt to taste and bring the whole mixture to a boil (sauté mode in the Instant Pot or medium high on the stove top).

Once it comes to a boil, simmer for about 5 minutes and remove from heat.

Ladle into soup bowls.

Serve hot garnished with finely chopped cilantro, green onions, mint leaves etc.

Top with roasted pumpkin seeds and if you love, some more black pepper powder.

Stir in bread croutons (baked or fried) for a lovely texture and a bit of a bite in your soup!

Enjoy this warm, soothing, comforting mildly sweet and spicy Carrot and Apple Soup as a starter or make a complete meal with a side of toasted bread or a sandwich.

Adjust the amount of spices according to personal preference.

You can use any combination of spices you like; maybe jeera/cumin seeds or powder, coriander seeds/powder, garam masala powder/curry powder etc.

Leftovers (if any) can be stored in the fridge for a day or two but best enjoyed fresh.

For a vegan version, avoid butter or ghee; just use oil.