ICED CUCUMBER SOUP

Hello soup lovers! It's Sunday and I have decided to make soup a weekly thing, so from now on we'll be having Soup Sunday! Homemade soups are totally delicious and utterly versatile. A chilled soup will make for a simple, Cook ahead starter for any dinner or lunch party. You can use chicken stock to make this soup but vegetable stock makes it great for vegetarians and even vegans, skip the buffer too and use coconut oil or olive oil. A quick tip when it comes to stocks especially homemade ones is to freeze in ice cube trays then once frozen solid you can pack the cubes in freezer bags. Then dilute them in water before using. That way you always have stock in hand to make your soups. Since this is a chilled soup, you can pour into a rigid plastic container, leaving head room for expansion, then label and freeze. To serve warm, just reheat, stirring frequently until heated through. 

INGREDIENTS

1 Large Cucumber
1 Onion
900ml Vegetable Stock
25g Butter
25g Plain Flour
150ml Natural Yoghurt
Ice cubes
Salt and Pepper

METHOD
Add chopped cucumber in pan

Add onions

Add vegetable stock

Bring onion, cucumber and stock to boil, cover and simmer for 20 minutes until cucumber is tender

Cool then blend until smooth

Add butter to pan

Add flour stirring and cook for one minute

Gradually add the pureed cucumber mixture into the pan

Add salt and pepper, bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer for 2 minutes

Add natural yoghurt into the soup

Leave to cool thoroughly

Ladle the cucumber soup into soup bowls and garnish with ice cubes and cucumber slices

A wonderful filling soup that is perfect for hot summer days that you don't want soup that is too heavy 

You can even serve the soup in glasses as a cold drink

ICED CUCUMBER SOUP

Recipe by Mulunga Alukwe

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Total time: 40 minutes
Yield: 3 Servings
Ingredients

• 1 Large Cucumber
• 1 Onion
• 900ml Vegetable Stock
• 25g Butter
• 25g Plain Flour
• 150ml Natural Yoghurt
• 1 Cup Ice Cubes
• Pinch Salt
• 1 Teaspoon Black Pepper

Cooking Directions

1. Add chopped cucumber, onions, and vegetable stock in a pan. Bring onion, cucumber and stock to boil, cover and simmer for 20 minutes until cucumber is tender
2. Cool the mixture, then blend until smooth
3. Add butter to the pan. Add flour stirring and cook for one minute. Gradually add the pureed cucumber mixture into the pan. Add salt and pepper, bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer for 2 minutes
4. Add natural yoghurt into the soup, cook a few minutes then allow to cool completely
5. Ladle the cucumber soup into soup bowls and garnish with ice cubes and cucumber slices