Cheesy Manchow Soup

Soups. That quintessentially popular & comforting food. Classified mostly seasonally as Summer Soups (mostly broths) and Winter soups (Shorbas and the filling and thick creamy ones),.there are some eternal favourites in every family - like Tomato Soup, Cream of Corn, Veg Clear Soup and today's Manchow soup. Throw in some cheese and you have kids lapping up a hearty bowl of veggies without much fuss. 

So, a simple Cheesy manchow soup that works well both as a pre-dinner snack or as an appetiser. Addition of cheese is optional. But as I was going easy on the Soy Sauce and other additives, cheese more than made up for the flavour. Which is why I didnt end up with a dark looking Manchow soup but more healthy filled with veggies. I teamed this up with some pull apart bread and we had a fab weekend dinner. Sending this to Blogging Marathon (BM # 26) under "Soups & Salads" theme this week. Check the fellow marathoners here.

Prep time : 15 mins | Cook time : 15 mins | Serves : 4

Serving suggestions : Croutons / Bread sticks / Home baked or store bought fresh bread

Difficulty level : Easy

Ingredients:

Veggies (all mixed 2 cups in raw form) : Finely Shredded cabbage, julienned Carrots, Finely chopped french beans.

Onions - 1 large - minced fine

Capsicum / bell pepper - 1/2 chopped fine

Garlic - 3 to 4 pods, minced fine

Fresh grated ginger - 1/2 tsp

Green chillies - 1 or 2, adjust spice (ignore if using green chilli sauce)

Veg Stock - 3 cups 

Olive Oil - 2 TBSP

Soya Sauce - 1/2 TBSP

Tomato Ketchup - 1 to 1.5 TBSP

Corn flour  - 1/2 TBSP (or more depending on how thick you want the soup)

Salt - to taste

Garnish : Spring Onion greens, Grated Cheese (I used normal processed Cheese cubes)

Additional Topping : Fried Noodles (I ran out of Noodles, so didnt add)

Method:

Wash,shred all veggies (mixed veggies).

Bring a large soup pot or a saucepan to boil with 4 to 4 1/2 cups of water. Add little salt and tip in the mixed veggies. Let it cook for 6 - 8 mins till crunchy but not fully done. Strain the water - you should end up with approx 3 cups of stock. Reserve.

In a wok, heat oil. Fry garlic, ginger till smell disappears. now add onions and bell pepper and fry till crunchy. Add the soya sauce, salt  & tomato ketchup. Mix well.

If using add the green chilli sauce, else tip in the chillies and saute for 1 min.

Now add the blanched veggies and saute for further 2-3 mins. Check for salt and spice.

Add the veg stock and let it come to boil. 

Mix the cornflour in 1 to 2 TBSP of water and add to thicken the soup. Let it simmer for 2-3 mins more.

Adjust spice once more

Garnish with fresh spring onion greens and grated cheese. If using Noodles, fry a handful of Hakka Noodles in oil and top before serving.

Serve hot :-)