Ingredients

• 500 gm. or 3-4 large, dark red tomatoes, roughly chopped

• 1 medium onion, peeled and roughly sliced

• 1 red or green chilli, de-seeded and chopped (adjust to taste)

• 1 red pepper, de-seeded and roughly chopped (you can omit it, if you don't have one)

• 2 tbsp. olive oil (other oils can be used but olive is best)

• 750 ml. vegetable stock. You can use stock cubes or bouillon powder.

• Freshly ground salt and black pepper.

• 1 tsp sugar, only after tasting

• 1-2 tsp. Tabasco sauce to taste (optional).

• 1 tsp. extra virgin olive oil for each serving

• Fresh Basil (Tulsi) leaves for garnish (optional)

Instructions

1. Heat oil in a wok or frying pan.

2. Fry onions and chilli until soft but not browned.

3. Add peppers and tomatoes to the pan, fry for a few minutes, until they begin to soften.

4. Add stock/ water and stock cubes, mix.

5. Bring to boil and simmer until all vegetables are soft.

6. Allow to cool a little. Blend with a stick blender.

7. Pour through a sieve into a clean pan, pushing the soft pulp of the vegetables through the sieve with a ladle or spoon.

8. Discard skins and seeds.

9. Season with salt and pepper. No salt is needed, if you are using stock cubes/powder/stock pot.

10. Add sugar, if it seems too sharp.

11. You can add a little Tabasco sauce, if you like the soup to have a kick.

12. Re-heat and serve hot, garnished with basil leaves or mustard cress or chopped coriander leaves and a drizzle of olive oil.

13. Also see Soup Selection.

Notes

• You can add 1 tsp. of double cream on top, in each bowl, as a garnish. Give it a twirl with a fork.