Tamatar aur Basil Shorba

Ingredients

• 20-24 medium tomatoes
• 24 fresh basil leaves                                       
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1 bay leaf                               
• 2 medium onions, sliced                                            
• 20 black peppercorns                                     
• 8 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 tablespoons gram flour (besan)     
• Salt to taste
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• ¾ teaspoon roasted cumin powder  
• ½ teaspoon garam masala powder 

Method

1. Heat oil in a pressure cooker, add bay leaf, onion and black peppercorns.
2. Quarter tomatoes. Add garlic in the cooker. Cube carrot and add. Add gram flour, mix and sauté for 1 minute.
3. Add 3 cups water, tomatoes, salt, sugar and basil leaves and mix well. Put the lid on and cook under pressure till 2-3 whistles are given out.
4. Open the lid when pressure reduces completely, let the mixture cool slightly and strain the stock into a bowl.
5. Discard the bay leaf from the residue and put it into a mixer jar. Grind with a little water into a  smooth puree.
6. Put the puree and the strained stock back into the cooker and bring it to a boil. Add roasted cumin powder and garam masala powder and mix. Adjust salt and mix.
7. Transfer into a soup bowl, garnish with fried parsley and serve piping hot.