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MEALS THAT HEAL
Think turnip
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Soup for the soul? Yes, and with turnips!
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GIVE TURNIPS A TURN They’re rich in vitamins and fibre
The turnip is a root vegetable commonly grown in temperate climates worldwide for its white, bulbous taproot. Small, tender, varieties are grown for human consumption, while larger varieties are grown as feed for livestock. The most common type is white-skinned apart from the upper 1–6 cm, which protrudes above the ground and is purple, red, or greenish wherever sunlight has fallen. This above-ground part develops from stem tissue, but is fused with the root. The interior flesh is white.
Turnips are high in dietary fibre, Vitamin C, Vitamin B6, Folate, Calcium, Potassium and Copper.
Culinary uses
Turnip leaves are sometimes eaten, and resemble mustard greens. Both leaves and root have a pungent flavour similar to raw cabbage or radishes and becomes mild after cooking.
Turnip roots weigh up to about 1 kg, although they can be harvested when smaller. Most very small turnips are speciality varieties. These are only available when freshly harvested and do not keep well. Most baby turnips can be eaten whole, including their leaves. Their flavour is mild, so they can be eaten raw in salads.
Now, for a recipe.
Turnip Potato Soup
Ingredients
Unsalted butter: 6 tbsp
Medium-sized onions: 4, thinly sliced
Turnips: 3 lbs, peeled and thinly sliced
Potatoes: one-and-a-half lbs, peeled and thinly sliced
Salt to taste
Vegetable stock: 6 cups
Freshly grated nutmeg: quarter tsp
Finely shredded basil for garnish: quarter cup
Method: In a large, heavy stockpot, melt the butter until it foams. When the foam subsides, add the onions and cook them for over five minutes, on moderate heat until they are softened but not browned. Add the turnips and potatoes and stir them to coat them with the butter. Add 2 tsp of salt and cover and cook on low heat, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, for about 20 minutes. Stir in the vegetable stock and bring it to a simmer. Cover the pot partially and cook the on moderate heat until the vegetables are very tender, for about 10 minutes. Working in batches, purée the soup in a blender until it becomes perfectly smooth. Return the soup to the pot and season with salt and nutmeg. Ladle the soup into shallow bowls and garnish with basil before serving.
RISHI MANUCHA
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Metro Plus
Bangalore
Chennai
Coimbatore
Delhi
Hyderabad
Kochi
Madurai
Mangalore
Puducherry
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Thiruvananthapuram
Vijayawada
Visakhapatnam
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