I always associate soups with comfort.........there is nothing that a hot bowl of soup cant cure or so me thinketh. Sometime back i had tried the canned version of the roasted red pepper/tomato soup- it wasnt bad, nor was it extraordinary. But by tweaking it a little bit, it can be made more than just palatable. All you need to do is to temper it with oil, cumin seeds, curry leaves and garnish with lots of cilantro.

Here's how you can make one from scratch-

Serves 2

1/2 can roasted red peppers (canned) or 2 small red peppers
2 medium tomatoes
1/2 cup finely chopped onions
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp thyme fresh or dry
1/2 tsp oregano
1 bay leaf
2 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Coming to the roasted red pepper and tomato soup- you can either use the canned roasted peppers and tomatoes or roast them at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes in the oven by drizzling some olive oil over it. This is a rough approximate, since oven temperatures vary, so keep checking till the outer skin is charred. Let cool and peel off the skin.

1. Heat olive oil in a soup pan, add the bay leaves and then the onions and garlic.
2. Saute till the onions turn transluscent and then add the peeled roasted red peppers and tomatoes. Add thyme and oregano and let cook till 10 minutes.
3. Add 1/2 to 1 cup water depending on the consistency of soup that you like.
4. Add the seasoning.
5. Let cook for 5-10 more minutes and then put it through the blender till you get a smooth consistency.
6. Serve hot or garnished with a dollop of sour cream.





Variations: Try different herbs like basil, and rosemary or just try a plain version of either just the peppers or the tomato soup.