Red Capsicum & Tomato Soup

Let me start by wishing all my friends and fellow bloggers a Very Happy and a Prosperous 2015.

I sincerely hope the New Year will bring glad tidings to you all. I personally don't believe in making any New Year resolutions as they are generally broken. But I thought it might be a good idea to sincerely make an attempt to eat and prepare healthy foods whenever possible. So what better way to start my first post of this year with this hot, nutritious and tasty soup. It's also perfect for the current chilly weather. Me and my spouse thoroughly enjoyed it. 

I shall be taking a short break from blogging and hope to continue with it next month. 

Ingredients:

Red Capsicum	1
Tomato	2 medium size
Melon seeds	1 tbsp
Garlic (optional)	7-8 pods
Red chilly powder (optional)	1 tsp
Corn flour	1 tbsp
Salt	As per taste
Freshly ground pepper	For garnish

Method :

1. Wash red capsicum and tomatoes.
2. Grind melon seeds to a fine paste using little water and keep aside.
3. Cut tomatoes in large chunks and boil them in a cup of water. When done set aside to cool.
4. Smear Red capsicum with oil and with the help of a fork roast the capsicum directly on flame. Keep turning the capsicum till the whole capsicum is charred from the outside. Switch off the flame and when cooled, skin the capsicum in a bowl of water. Deseed it and chop it into chunks.
5. Now grind the cooked tomatoes and the roasted & chopped capsicum along with garlic (if using) to a smooth paste.
6. In a saucepan, add the ground tomato and capsicum paste, chilly powder and salt. Let it cook on a low flame.
7. In the meantime, mix the melon seed paste and and corn flour/starch into a bowl and pour the entire contents into the saucepan. Keep stirring it so that no lumps are formed and allow it to boil for a minute or two and then remove from the flame.
8. Pour the contents in soup bowls. Sprinkle freshly ground pepper on top.
9. 
   Serve hot.
   

Preparation time : 15-20 mins

Cooking time : 30 mins

Serves: 3-4 persons

Note:

• This is a very healthy and tasty soup.
• Melon seeds have a lot of health benefits and Red Peppers/Capsicum are packed with anti-oxidants.
• The roasting of Red Pepper takes a little more time than the actual cooking.