EVENT: SUNDAY FUNDAY
THEME: Día de los Muertos
RECIPE: VEGETARIAN TORTILLA SOUP
Vegetarian Tortilla Soup is a healthy, flavourful, comforting and quick to make soup. Also known as Sopa Azteca or Aztec Soup, it is a tomato chili broth that is served with fried or baked tortilla strips or chips.In fact, you will find variations of the basic soup, mostly shredded chicken is added, some add vegetables.
I have decided to make a totally vegetarian version of the tortilla soup. Specifically, to make it more filling and a meal on its own kind of soup, I’ve added beans and corn. Indeed, the soup has to have a bit of heat from the chili/chilli you use. Interestingly, there are so many Mexican chillis available, use any of your choice or what is available in your area.
SUNDAY FUNDAY
Sunday Funday is a group of Food Bloggers. Every Sunday we share some fun, traditional, hearty or easy recipes to make Sunday Family Meals a bit more exciting. To join this fun group, visit the Sunday Funday Facebook Page. Request to join in.
THEME: Día de los Muertos or The Day Of The Dead
This different to me theme has been suggested by Camilla Mann who blogs at Culinary Adventures With Camilla. She suggested that we share our favourite Día de los Muertos dishes such as sugar skulls or anything with marigolds or just share your Mexican dishes!
When she had announced this theme months ago, I had planned to make Pan de Muertos ( Mexican Day of The Bread). However, with Diwali round the corner and other commitments, I couldn’t plan a day to bake the bread.
Oh well, perhaps some other time. However, not wanting to miss out this event, I decided to make the family favourite, Vegetarian Tortilla Soup.
What is Día de los Muertos?
Día de los Muertos, or the Day of The Dead though falling around the same time as Halloween is by no means the same. While Halloween is a dark night of fun, terror and tricks, Día de los Muertos, is actually a festival where the Mexicans celebrate love and respect for departed family members.
Offerings of different kinds of food are made to the departed souls. In addition, elaborately decorated altars are created during this festival which begins from Oct 31st to Nov 2. Furthermore, they believe that the spirits of the departed souls visit them during this period. Parades, song, dance and enjoying food together is how this festival is celebrated.
Hindu Culture of Respecting The Dead
In regards to this festival, Hindus too honour, respect and remember their departed loved ones. This is usually done with religious rituals and offerings of food. Shradh arrives before Navratri.
During this period, we normally donate food to the priests and poor people. The meal usually consists of what the departed soul loved.
Also, just the day before Diwali we remember the departed souls by placing small morsels of food on roof tops. The spirits come down during this time and enjoy the food.
All I can remember growing up, is that the crows would have a field day. For my brother and me it was a fun activity. While I would hold on to the ladder, he would climb up to place the food on the roof. Then we would wait to see if we could see my granny or other forefathers come down to feast!
SOME OF MY FAVOURITE MEXICAN DISHES
Especially, love Mexican food, okay let’s get real – it is actually Tex Mex food as authentic Mexican food is quite different. In fact, I’ve had the opportunity to experience real Mexican food in Montreal and though veggie chose is limited, the food is so delicious.
Huevos Rancheros, Mexican Breakfast
Cemita Buns
Check Out What Fellow Members Of The Group Have Prepared:
- Atola- East Indian by Sneha’s Recipe
- Caldo Tlalpeño by Food Lust People Love
-
Dia de Los Muertos Sugar Skull Cake by Amy’s Cooking Adventures
-
Enfrijoladas de Pollo by A Day in the Life on the Farm
- Fiambre Rojo for Día de los Muertos by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
- Pan de Muerto (Mexican Day of the Dead Bread) by Karen’s Kitchen Stories
- Pan Seared Tilapia with Shrimp by Palatable Pastime
- Taco Casserole by Making Miracles
- Vegetarian Tortilla Soup by Mayuri’s Jikoni
Ingredients Required For Vegetarian Tortilla Soup
- Fresh Tomato Puree – I usually cook the tomatoes in very little water and puree the mixture. Can use canned tomato puree.
- Onion – white or yellow. Peel and chop it.
- Garlic – peel and chopped.
- Bell Pepper – any colour of your choice. Usually green is used but I used an orange one.
- Cooked Red or Black Beans – I used canned beans.
- Yellow Corn or Sweet Corn – boiled, roasted or canned.
- Vegetable Broth/Stock – homemade, ready made or mix the powdered one in some water.
- Olive Oil – or any vegetable oil
- Fresh Cilantro – fresh coriander, chopped
- Mexican Chile or Chilli of your choice – if you use whole dried ones, puree with the tomato. I have used smoked cayenne powder.
- Salt – add according to your taste
- Mexican Seasoning – I got this Mexican Seasoning from a Farmers’ Market and the ingredients are oregano, cumin powder, cinnamon powder, clove powder, chilli powder, coriander powder and a little bit of cocoa powder.
Toppings:
you can add what you like. I added some feta cheese as I didn’t get cotija cheese.
Chopped Tomatoes
Avocado
Jalapeno – optional
Tortilla Strips or Chips: To made homemade Tortilla Strips, I preheated the oven to 180°C. Brushed whole wheat tortilla with some olive oil. Cut it into strips. Arranged on a baking tray and baked them for 10 minutes till crispy.
Lime – slices or wedges. Don’t skip this important ingredient as it adds a unique flavour.
WATCH HOW TO MAKE VEGETARIAN TORTILLA SOUP
VEGETARIAN TORTILLA SOUP
Ingredients
- 1 cup fresh tomato puree
- 1 cup sweet corn
- 1½ cups black or red beans cooked
- 1 large white/yellow onion peeled and diced
- 2-3 cloves garlic peeled and chopped
- 1 medium bell pepper diced
- 1 tsp salt
- ½-1 tsp smoked cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp Mexican Seasoning
- 3 cups vegetable stock/broth
- 2 tbsp fresh cilantro chopped
- 1 tbsp olive oil
FOR THE TOPPING:
- 1-2 small avocado chopped
- ½ cup chopped tomatoes
- ½ cup feta or cotija cheese
- 1 lime cut wedges or slices
- 1 jalapeno sliced and optional
- some tortilla strips or chips
Instructions
Prepare Tortilla Strips At Home:
- Preheat the oven to 180°C.
- Take 2-3 large tortilla and brush with some oil.
- Cut the tortilla into strips using a sharp knife or pizza cutter.
- Arrange the strips on a lightly greased baking tray.
- Bake for 10 minutes or till the strips become crispy.
PREPARATION OF THE SOUP:
- Heat oil in a big saucepan.
- Add the chopped onion, bell pepper and garlic.
- Stir fry till the onion appears a bit soft.
- Add the beans and corn.
- Add the tomato puree.
- Add salt, the broth and mix well.
- Allow the soup to come to a boil.
- Reduce the heat and simmer the soup for 5- 7 minutes.
- Add the chilli if you've not pureed it with the tomatoes.
- Add the seasoning. Mix well.
SERVING THE SOUP:
- Add some soup into serving bowls.
- Add the toppings and serve.
Notes
- If you don't want to serve the soup with lime wedges then add some lime juice to the soup.
- Adjust the seasoning according to your choice.
- Add crispy tortilla strips just before serving as they become soggy very quickly.
- You can use ready made tortilla chips.
- You can add shredded chicken to the soup.
- This soup can be served as a light meal option.
Pin For Later:
A little request:
If you do try this recipe then please either
- add a comment below,
- send a picture to my email mayuri.ajay.patel62@gmail.com
- tag me as #mayuri_jikoni on Instagramor tag me on Twitter as #Mayuri1962