I am a big lover of soups. I enjoying making them and I enjoy having them. There are a number of soup recipes on this blog, to show my love for it. If there is one soup I dislike slightly, it is the tomato soup. Be it at restaurants or at home, I seldom order the tomato soup or make one. I am not too fond of the tanginess of the tomatoes and somehow a tomato soup all by itself makes it too tangy for me.
Few days back when tomatoes were in abundance, I had to do something to get rid of them. The husband suggested a tomato soup. I had to plan on making it less tomato-y and more creamy without adding too many calories. I thought - Why not substitute the cream with some coconut milk and add some onions to compliment the tanginess of the tomatoes!? It worked perfectly. I was looking for ways to serve this soup and that’s when I remembered Lynne’s Salad in a bread bowl. I was so intrigued by her bread bowl idea and had been wanting to try it ever since I read about it n her blog. Bread bowls are not yet popular in my part of the world and my brain started looking out for alternatives. Luckily, I found a small whole bread loaf. Immediately I had the viola moment - my own easy bread bowl at home!! All I had to do was cut the loaf into two equal parts, remove a square of bread from the center and toast it in the oven with some olive oil. The result was this thick creamy tomato soup served warm in a bread bowl. It was a meal by itself and a much loved one at that! While I was basking in the yumminess of the soup, the evening got darker and I am not much satisfied with the pictures. But then I thought, if this recipe turned out super yumm I have to share it on the blog irrespective of how bad the photos are. So, here I am.
In a pan, heat oil. Add finely chopped garlic and fry until golden. Add diced onions and fry until translucent.
Add chopped tomatoes and cook until mushy on a medium flame.
Meanwhile, cut the loaf of bread in half and using a spoon/knife, scoop out the center of the bread in such a way that it resembles a bowl. Apply olive oil all over the inside of the bread and toast in a preheated oven at 180°C for 6-10mins. Keep aside.
When the tomatoes are completely cooked, add pepper powder and salt. Mix well. Let the mixture cool down completely. Blend into a smooth paste in a mixer grinder. Transfer it to the pan again. Add some water if the soup is very thick. Bring to a boil and add thick coconut milk. Remove from heat.
Serve in the toasted bread bowl when the soup is warm. Sprinkle few teaspoon of coconut milk on top.
If required, the tomatoes can be blanched in hot water and the skin can be removed. Results in a smooth soup. I used homemade coconut milk. Blend ½ cup of coconut with ½ cup of warm water. Strain the coconut milk. In case whole bread loaf is not available, this soup can be served in an ordinary bowl. Pour the soup into the bread bowl only before serving. The bread soaks up most of the water content from the soup making it quick thick. Don’t make this soup more watery if serving in the bread bowl. Don’t boil the soup after adding coconut milk as it can curdle.
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