RECIPE ~ Cream of Celery Soup

My grandmother used to make cream of celery soup -- I always think of her when I get the craving for it. She never left me her recipe so this is my rendition. I like it with toast or a slice of vegetable pie on the side. Serves 4.

2 Tbsp oil or ghee*
1 onion, chopped
1 bunch celery, chopped
1 cup diced potato, parsnip or turnip*
4 cloves garlic
2 Tbsp flour or 2 tsp cornstarch*
1 tsp thyme
3 bay leaves
dash salt & pepper
4 cups vegetable broth or water
garnish: chopped cilantro or parsley, squirt of lemon

Heat oil or ghee in a soup pot, and add onion. Saute for a few minutes til they start to soften. Add celery, potato and garlic, and saute 5 minutes. Sprinkle with flour and seasoning and stir to combine well. Add broth, bring to a boil, then simmer to a slow bubble for at least half an hour.

Transfer some or all of the soup to a blender (depending on if you like a chunky or silky smooth soup) and puree. Serve garnished with cilantro, parsley or lemon. Vatas can also add a dab of ghee.

* FOR INDIVIDUAL DOSHAS
KAPHAS use only 1 tsp sunflower oil or ghee; choose turnip; use 2 tsp cornstarch
PITTAS reduce garlic to 1 clove; omit pepper; choose potato
VATAS choose rice or wheat flour and parsnip; add a pinch of ginger or cayenne

DID YOU KNOW?
According to Ayurveda, cooking different ingredients together in a soup or stew makes the food easier to digest. This is because the vegetables, beans or legumes affect each other and take on each other's unique properties, making them harmonious in your belly instead of each having opposing qualities. All flavours of sweet, salty, pungent, sour and bitter combine in the pot so your system has less work to do, but reaps all the benefits of each ingredient.