Cilantro Lemon Soup

First Day of Spring 2015 is "special" because I have officially hit 40! That dreaded number 40. The whole mid-life crisis 40. Yeah, yeah, I have heard that age is just a number and that 40 is the new 20, etc. A few important lessons learned in the last year:

1. We no longer want physical interaction- it is all virtual, baby!

2. We humans are ridiculously amusing- everybody is chasing somebody or something else. And everybody is trying to avoid everybody else!

3. You love somebody who doesn't love you back. Somebody loves you but you don't love them back!

2 and 3 are pretty much extrapolations of each other.

4. Everybody is pretending to be somebody else. Yeah, me too! Basically it is all a facade. So then since we are all anyway fake, what now? Continue with the act, I suppose..... *Shrug*

With that very profound prologue (for someone like me, this kinda stuff IS very deep), I shall now move on to more pleasant and real things, aka food! ;)

CILANTRO LEMON SOUP

Fresh cilantro- mm! Fresh lemon- ah! Garlic- oh yeah! Thai green chilies and freshly ground pepper- now we're talkin'! Yep, that's all the ingredients you need to whip up this lovely tongue tickling soup. 

Ingredients, properly this time: 

Yield: 2 cups

1. Fresh cilantro- 1 bunch, cleaned, and chopped fine

2. Garlic- 5-6 cloves, smashed

3. Lemon- freshly squeezed or ready-to-use lemon juice- 1 tbs (or per taste)

4. Thai green chilies- 3-4

5. Cumin seeds or powder- 1/2 tsp 

6. Salt and freshly ground pepper- per taste

7. Corn flour or All Purpose Flour- 1 tbs

8. A pat or two of butter, plus 1-2 tsp of cooking oil 

9. Water- 2 cups

Method:

1. Take a pot, add a pat of two of butter, plus 1 or 2 tsp of cooking oil. Get the heat going, and splutter half a tsp of cumin seeds (or powder).

2. Add the chopped cilantro, thai chilies, and smashed garlic and sauté for 3-5 minutes. If using all purpose flour- add 1 tbs of the flour to this and stir and cook for 5 minutes to get rid of the raw taste. If using corn flour, hold off until towards the end. 

3. Pour in 2 cups of water. Stir and make sure to get rid of any lumps (if you added all purpose flour). Add salt and freshly ground pepper per taste. 

4. If using corn flour- now is the time to add that in. Mix up 1 tbs of corn flour with a little bit of cold water to make a smooth paste, and add to the above. Stir it up, and bring to a boil until it slightly thickens. This soup is a bit on the thinner consistency side. Taste, and adjust salt pepper if need be. Boil for about 5-7 minutes. 

5. Turn off heat. After about a minute or so, add a tbs (or more if you like) of freshly squeezed or ready-to-use lemon juice. Stir and enjoy! 

The lemon, cilantro, garlic, pepper, and cumin are all going to do the tango on your taste buds- yeah! 

Cilantro Lemon Soup- mm!! 

Epilogue (gotta have one): 

Yes, it is official- I am 40, and still in denial. In my head however, I am stuck at 20. I have got to get my act together now, don't I? Oh! But wait- that means age is in fact just a number, and 40 is in fact the new 20! Recently, a loved one said these three words to me: "Take it easy!" I guess it is not that bad an advice after all! ;)