We started Soup Week in Asia. Today my friend Stephanie Stiavetti takes us to the Subcontinent, for a soup filled with vegetables, spices, and ingenious little meatballs. Take it away, Stephanie…

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I love soup, and even though I don’t talk about it much, I have a major thing for curry recipes. Now that the weather is turning cold freezing (I swear, I can’t feel half of my toes right now), all I can think about is a big bowl of hearty soup. I’ve been craving the kind that fills you up and keeps you warm for the rest of the night. If they’re not hearty, what’s the point?

The curry potato soup recipe here is a slightly modified version of the Curried Potato and Vegetable Soup from Elise’s site. I’ve changed a few things, but the biggest difference is the addition of lamb meatballs. One of my favorite flavor combos (besides peanut butter and chocolate) is lamb and yellow curry, so the first time I tried her soup, the only thing I could think was “OMG this would be incredible with lamb!”.

This soup freezes well, so make a huge amount and save some for those nights when you just don’t want to cook, or you’ve contracted one of the various plagues that get passed around this time of year. When I’m sick, this soup is my go-to meal.

Curry Potato Soup with Lamb Meatballs
Recipe by Stephanie Stiavetti at Wasabimon

• • 1/4 cup unsalted butter (half a stick)

 

• 1 medium leek, chopped (use the white part)

 

 

• 1/2 yellow bell pepper, chopped

 

 

• 1 large carrot, chopped

 

 

• 1 medium turnip, chopped

 

 

• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds

 

 

• 1 teaspoon turmeric

 

 

• 1 tablespoon curry powder

 

 

• 1 teaspoon yellow mustard seed

 

 

• 4 cloves garlic, minced

 

 

• 2 pounds red potatoes, cubed

 

 

• 4 cups chicken broth

 

 

• 2 cups water

 

 

• 1/2 head of cauliflower, cut into florets

 

 

• 2 teaspoons salt

 

 

• 1 pound ground lamb, rolled into 1-inch meatballs

 

 

• 1 cup frozen corn kernels, defrosted

 

 

• 3 zucchinis, sliced in half length-wise and cut into 1/2 inch rounds

 

1. 1. Heat a large, heavy pot, such as a Dutch oven, over medium heat and melt the butter. Cook gently until the froth subsides, making sure to watch it so that it doesn’t burn.

 

• Add the leek, bell pepper, carrot, turnip and cumin seeds. Cook until the onions are soft, about 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the turmeric, curry powder and mustard seeds, cooking for 1 minute more. Add garlic and cook for another minute.

 

 

• Add the potatoes, broth, water, cauliflower and salt. Increase the heat to high to bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium. Let simmer uncovered for 20 minutes.

 

 

• While the soup is simmering, heat a heavy skillet over medium heat. Brown meatballs on all sides (as well as you can with a ball), about ten minutes total. Remove from heat.

 

 

• Add the corn and summer squash, cooking until the vegetables are cooked through, about ten minutes. Remove from heat.

 

 

• Use a stick blender to pur√©e two thirds of the soup – be careful, this can make a huge mess!

 

 

• Pour puree back into the pot and mix well. Add meatballs and cook for another five to ten minutes to incorporate flavors.

 

 

• Add more salt, pepper and curry powder to taste.

 

Stephanie Stiavetti is a freelance food writer living in the Bay Area. While she writes for NPR.org, Pregnancy Magazine, Mom Magazine, and the Food Mag, Stephanie spends a lot of her time blogging about food at Wasabimon. You can follow her on Twitter under the moniker @sstiavetti, where she posts regularly about cooking, writing, and how to get along in this vast social media world.

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