Creamy Vegetable Soup

This recipe comes straight from my mom’s kitchen. Come winter, you will find her busy creating all kinds of vegetarian soups. Any available ingredient is transformed into a soup and it always hits the jackpot.

Over my daily phone chitchat, I was told that she was making my all time favorite soup 'Veggie Delight.' I was transformed to another city called Delhi. Uh! I miss Delhi winters. More than that I long for cozy wintry nights when I, dad, and mom enjoyed each others’ company over a bowl of hot creamy and cheesy soup. Ah! Simple pleasures of life.

Back to my life here in down south, where the word ‘winter’ is considered alien, I spent whole Saturday afternoon by cleaning the house and doing laundry ( doesn’t seem to be a great idea of spending weekends.) By evening I was so hungry and there was no cooked food in the kitchen. Option 1...to order food from my favorite food joint and option 2...to have soupy plans. Who said you can’t enjoy soups in a hot climate?

Thick, creamy, cheesy soup was ready in ten minutes. It was filling and a meal by itself. Later enjoyed a flick 'When Harry Met Sally' on my laptop.

Ingredients
(Makes four servings)

All purpose flour (Maida) 1 cup (200ml)
Milk 2 cups
Grated Cheddar Cheese 5 table spoons
Diced Carrot ¼ cup
Diagonally Chopped Beans ¼ cup
Chopped Button mushrooms 1 cup
Finely Chopped Garlic 2 cloves
Pepper Powder 1 teaspoon
Dry Oregano 1 teaspoon
Salt to taste
Salted Butter 2 teaspoons
Water (if required)

Directions
Melt one teaspoon butter in a pan; add garlic, beans, carrots and sauté until tender for about 5-7 minute. Add mushrooms and sauté until browned. Meanwhile, whisk flour and milk in a medium bowl to blend. To avoid any lumps, use cold milk. Once the veggies are done, take it off the flame.

On a medium heat, melt rest of the butter in a large saucepan. Add the milk and flour mixture. Keep stirring till the mixture starts to thicken and change its color to pale white. At this stage, add grated cheese, salt, oregano, pepper and veggies. Simmer for 5 minutes. You can add little water to thinning the consistency.

You can even add bell pepers, corn kernels to give more color to the soup.