Curried cauliflower veloute soup served with turmeric potatoes features classic European techniques and glorious spicy Indian flavours.
This delicious soup is vegetarian and can be made vegan by the simple swap of vegan butter for the ghee.
Cauliflower Velouté Soup
I love cauliflower, it is one of those vegetables that I really disliked in my childhood, probably because it was boiled until it was grey. But now it pops up in all sorts of different recipes.
I have everything from a classic creamy cauliflower soup to roasted cauliflower steaks and a wonderful aloo gobi matar recipe, an Indian potato, cauliflower and pea curry.
Indian flavours appear again in this delicious creamy curried cauliflower veloute soup.
Us Brits have definitely embraced Indian flavours over the last couple of hundred years and in many cases they are scaled back.
But this dish is far from restrained, it rocks asafoetida, fenugreek, cumin and coriander.
It combines them with classic French techniques to create a wonderful dish that blows my mind every time I cook it.
If you like the sound of this be sure to check out my other “Anglo-Indian” inspired soups like curried parsnip soup and chicken mulligatawny soup.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this in advance?
Yes absolutely! Although the turmeric potatoes do need to be cooked when serving.
The soup will sit in the fridge for 3-4 days without a problem, cover it with cling film pushed down so that there is no air between the surface of the soup and the film.
I would personally not freeze it, I find that it becomes a little bit grainy when reheated.
What is a velouté?
A velouté is a French “mother” sauce.
It is very similar to the bechamel sauce that is the bedrock of my parsley sauce or Welsh rarebit. The main difference is that the roux is cooked with stock rather than milk.
What is asafoetida?
Asafoetida is an Indian spice that also goes by the name hing, it has a pungent aroma and is often used in Indian and Pakistani vegan and vegetarian food.
Its flavour is mild despite its strong aroma, but it is so often responsible for that 1% of flavour that you can’t quite put your finger on in Indian-inspired dishes.
Do I have to blend this soup?
For me yes! The spicing of this dish all need a good blend to break them down and it is a dish that is so much better as a smooth soup rather than a textured one.
Can I make this vegan?
Yes, simply swap the ghee for vegan butter and off you go!
Serving Suggestions
I like to serve my curried cauliflower soup with some crispy turmeric potatoes and then curly up on the sofa with a spoon and feel all cosy.
However, if you wanted a little “more” bread is always a nice option.
If I have some of my tandoori-style naan bread in the freezer then I will defrost one and share it.
But anything from soda bread to crispy strips of leftover toasted pita bread work well too.
If you wanted to skip the turmeric potatoes you could add some croutons, I would spice them up with a pinch of turmeric or even some curry powder.
Equipment Used
I only name-check brands of equipment if I think they make a material difference to a recipe. But if you have any questions feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.
- Stovetop.
- 20cm or 8″ saucepan with a lid.
- 24cm or 10″ frying pan (only required for the turmeric potatoes).
- Weighing scales and or measuring cups and spoons.
- Kitchen knife.
- Chopping board.
- Blender.
- Fine mesh sieve.
Curried Cauliflower Veloute Soup Recipe with Turmeric Potatoes
This delicious curried cauliflower soup with turmeric potatoes is a recipe that combines classic French techniques with Indian flavours.
Ingredients
- 500g (5-6 Cups) Cauliflower
- 1 Litre (4 Cups) Vegetable Stock, Use the best stock you can get
- ½ Tsp Salt
- 1 Tsp Dried Fenugreek Leaves
- 1 Tsp Coriander Seeds
- 1 Tsp Cumin Seeds
- 1 Tsp Black Peppercorns
- 1 Dried Kashmiri Chilli Pepper (Optional)
- 30g (2 Tbsp) Ghee
- 30g (3 Tbsp) Plain Flour
- ¼ Tsp Asafoetida
- Lemon juice to taste
For the Turmeric Potatoes (Optional)
- ½ Tbsp Cooking Oil
- 150g (1 small-medium) Potato
- Pinch of Afsafoetida
- ¼ Tsp Ground Turmeric
- ¼ Tsp Salt
Instructions
- Place the vegetable stock in a 20cm or 8" saucepan and bring it to a boil, add the salt, fenugreek leaves, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, black peppercorns and dried chilli pepper.
- Peel the garlic cloves and bash them with the side of a knife to break them up.
- Cut the cauliflower into a 1½cm (½-¾") dice and add it to the vegetable stock, when the pot boils again reduce the heat to low, add a lid and simmer for 15 minutes, when done the cauliflower should be very soft.
- Strain the solids from the stock through a fine mesh sieve and add them to a blender, then blend to a very smooth puree, you will need to add stock to make this happen, 175-250ml (¾-1 Cup should be enough).
- Wipe out the pan and return it to a low heat and melt the ghee, when the butter has melted add the asafoetida (hing) and cook for 2-3 minutes stirring constantly.
- Add the hot stock that is left to the pan little by little to form a smooth sauce.
- Pass the cauliflower puree through a fine mesh sieve into the veloute and stir, and bring back to a very gentle simmer.
- Squeeze in lemon juice to taste, I usually squeeze in half of a lemon.
- Peel the potato and cut it into a 5-6mm (¼") dice.
- Heat the oil for the potatoes in a 24cm or 10" nonstick frying pan.
- When the oil is hot add the asafoetida and potatoes and fry them until crisp and golden, this will take around 8-10 minutes.
- Add the turmeric and toss for another 30-60 seconds.
Notes
The calorific value refers to serving this as a two-portion large dish, halve it if you are serving it as a starter for two.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
2Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 390Total Fat: 21gSaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 38mgSodium: 2330mgCarbohydrates: 46gFiber: 9gSugar: 9gProtein: 10g
Calorific details are provided by a third-party application and are to be used as indicative figures only.
Alyssa
Friday 17th of February 2017
Your chive oil tip is genius, I need to make this with other herbs!
Brian Jones
Monday 20th of February 2017
Herb oils are great for finishing soups and you can do it with anything, although the 'woodier' the herb the longer you will need to infuse.
Just Jo
Friday 17th of February 2017
Lol oh I love you Brian - say it like it is and always, always true to yourself! Such admirable personal qualities :D Did you find out where to get them vegetable bones from in the end...? ;)
Brian Jones
Monday 20th of February 2017
Still on the hunt for vegetable bones Jo, I have set up a hide in the garden and have set some 'ethical' vegetable traps too... Curses to these difficulties ;)
Nicola @ Happy Healthy Motivated
Friday 17th of February 2017
I've never heard of this dish before, but it looks amazing! It's not often you get real comfort food in vegetarian form, but you've definitely done it!
Brian Jones
Monday 20th of February 2017
I think I kinda made it up ;) #eek
Helene D'Souza
Friday 17th of February 2017
That's a genius combination of flavours! It falls into my food categories and bridges both worlds so well. My mum needs to see this. :)
Brian Jones
Monday 20th of February 2017
Thank you, I hope she likes it :)
Luci's Morsels
Friday 17th of February 2017
This looks really tasty and simple to make. I will have to try this one!
Brian Jones
Monday 20th of February 2017
Thanks Luci, enjoy :)