Indian

Cauliflower soup with Bengali tadka

Name: Matt Preston's cauliflower soup with Indian spices recipe
Yield: 6
Cuisine: /indian
Ingredients: 1kg cauliflower, stalk trimmed, florets and stem roughly chopped; 1 large onion, finely chopped; 1.5l chicken stock; 125ml cream; Milk, to thin, if required; Roti bread, to serve; 60g ghee; 6 sprigs curry leaves; 2 tsp brown mustard seeds; 1 tsp cumin seeds; 1 tsp dill seeds (or fennel seeds); 2 long green chillies, seeds removed, thinly sliced

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by Matt Preston

delicious. senior editor

May 30, 2025

"Dreadful winter becomes far more handleable with the right dinner." - Matt Preston

1kg cauliflower, stalk trimmed, florets and stem roughly chopped
1 large onion, finely chopped
6 cups (1.5L) chicken stock
1/2 cup (125ml) pure (thin) cream
Milk, to thin, if required
Roti bread, to serve

Tadka garnish

1/4 cup (60g) ghee
6 sprigs curry leaves
2 tsp brown mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp dill seeds (or fennel seeds)
2 long green chillies, seeds removed, thinly sliced

Method

1.

Place cauliflower in a large saucepan with onion, stock and 400ml water. Bring to the boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for about 40 minutes, or until cauliflower is softened.
2.

Using a stick blender, blitz warm mixture until smooth. Season to taste, then stir in cream to finish. If the soup is too thick, add milk, 1-2 tbs at a time until you reach your preferred consistency. Keep soup warm, covered, over low heat.
3.

For the tadka garnish, heat the ghee in a medium frypan over medium-high heat. When hot, cook the curry leaves, tossing until crisp. Using a slotted spoon, set aside on paper towel to drain. Add mustard, cumin and dill seeds to pan. Cook, shaking pan occasionally, until they pop. Add the chilli and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Remove pan from heat.
4.

Pour soup into warmed bowls and spoon over tadka garnish. Top with crispy curry leaves and serve with roti.

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Recipe Notes

Tadka is a flavouring technique whereby spices and herbs are heated in oil or ghee to release their essential oils. It adds an extra layer of flavour to dishes. You could also use spices like cassia, fenugreek seeds, whole cloves or garlic cloves as the Bengalis do.