Spiced spinach and potato soup

P3191446Originally uploaded by nodwah

This is my first attempt at food photography, so I hope it’s turned out okay.

I tasted this soup at my sister’s favourite Indian restraunt in Stoke Newington.  It was warming and beautifully spiced with a bit of a chilli catch at the end. I’ve tried to make my best approximation without having the recipe to hand and I’m entering this to the ‘No Croutons Required’ spicy soup event for March.  http://tinnedtomatoes.blogspot.com/2008/03/no-croutons-required.html 

Recipe (makes enough for two greedy people):

2 handsful of baby spinach (chopped)

1 large floury potato, cooked and mashed (use leftover mash perhaps)

1 onion

6-8 cherry tomatoes, halved (I used yellow ones)

1 green chilli, chopped into chunks (smaller for more heat)

3 cloves

1/4 tsp cinnamon

salt

Cut the onion in half and chop one half very finely. Fry this gently in butter for a few minutes until soft then add the cloves, cinnamon and mashed potato and cook slowly for a short while. Meanwhile rinse the chopped spinach and then put into a pan with the chilli, cover and cook til the spinach is wilted then add to the potato mixture. Add a pint of boiling water and the tomatoes and bring the pan to the boil them simmer for 5 minutes. The other half of the onion can be sliced and fried til crispy and used as a garnish to serve on the soup.