Spinach and Baby Corn Soup a.k.a Palak Makai ka Shorba!

Some things from your childhood are deeply imbibed in your psyche. Particularly the ones that leave behind a nasty aftertaste. I mean, literally. I was among those scores of kids how hated, absolutely hated spinach. I dreaded dinner times when I knew it was going to be palak paneer on the menu. I never really overcame that. Then, my loving mom helped me a bit, making a lovely biryani from spinach puree which helped me overcome my aversion spinach. That was it, me and my relationship with spinach, till I started cooking on my own. Still  scarred, I never really ventured out of my comfort zone of spinach and rice, till, as a young wife, I started managing my own kitchen and pantry. You know, the initial years, when you are too enthusiastic to cook healthy and tasty, both at the same time. After a lot of trials and tribulations, some success and many failures, a lot of crying and lot of soothing by your husband dearest, a lot of tantrums and few gained pounds later, there comes a stage when you get desperate. Utter desperate to try something other that the tiny spectrum of vegetables the two of you like. Peeking out of my comfort zone, the first thing that I tried was a curry with spinach, sweet corn kernels and onions. It was amazzzz…ing, to say the least. Now, I am a bit enthusiastic, not totally cured of the phobia, but more open to err.. spinach, I would say. 🙂

So here is to my newly acquired openness!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup chopped spinach (palak)
• 100 gms sliced baby corn
• 1 1/2 tbsp cornflour (optional)
• 1 1/2 tsp olive oil or butter
• 1 tsp finely chopped garlic
• 4 cups approx. basic vegetable stock
• salt and pepper, to taste

Method:

1. Dissolve the cornflour, if using, in ½ cup of basic vegetable stock and keep aside. Otherwise, regale in laziness, like I did! 😉
2. Heat the oil in a deep non-stick pan, add the garlic and sauté on a medium flame for 1 minute. Let the fragrance spread! If you are attracted to beautiful looking soups, reserve some of the browned garlic for garnishing.
3. Add the baby corn and spinach and sauté on a medium flame for 2 minutes. Don’t move away from the stove, unless you want a brown soup and not green!
4. Allow it to cool completely and then blend it in a mixer to a smooth purée. Or be ready to have all your kitchen walls splattered with the green slurry!
5. Transfer the purée back to the pan and add the salt and pepper. Mix well and bring to a boil, while stirring occasionally. Let the plot, ermm…, the soup thicken!
6. Add the stock and the cornflour-stock mixture if using, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 3 to 4 minutes, while stirring continuously. Too much of stirring, I know!
7. Serve hot, garnished with the toasted garlic! Enjoy!