Chilled Indian-Spiced Tomato Soup with Crabmeat

Ingredients

• •1 tablespoon cumin seeds
• •1 tablespoon coriander seeds
• •1 tablespoon fennel seeds
• •1 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds
• •1 teaspoon black peppercorns
• •6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• •2 cups celery
• •1½ cups onion
• •1 cup carrots
• •¼ cup fresh ginger
• •6 cloves garlic
• •1 pound red bell peppers
• •1¾ cups fennel bulb
• •3 pounds plum tomatoes
• •5¼ cups vegetable broth
• •2 teaspoons hot pepper sauce
• •1 pound fresh crabmeat
• •1 to taste radishes
• •1 to taste chives

Cooking Instructions

1. 1.

   Toast all ingredients in heavy medium skillet over medium heat until spices darken slightly in color and start to pop, stirring occasionally, about 7 minutes. Cool in skillet. Transfer to spice mill and grind finely.

   7 min

2. 2.

   Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add celery, onion, and carrots. Sauté until vegetables soften slightly, about 8 minutes. Add ginger and garlic and sauté 3 minutes. Add bell peppers and fennel. Stir 2 minutes to coat. Add tomatoes; cook until tomatoes soften and break down, stirring often, about 8 minutes. Add broth and bring soup to boil. Reduce heat to medium; simmer until all vegetables are tender, about 25 minutes. Add ground spice mix; return soup to boil. Remove from heat; cover and steep 20 minutes.

   66 min

3. 3.

   Place coarse sieve over large bowl. Working with 2 cups at a time, strain soup into bowl, pressing liquid and most of solids through sieve. Season soup to taste with hot pepper sauce, salt, and pepper. Refrigerate soup until cold, at least 3 hours. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and keep refrigerated.)

   180 min

4. 4.

   Ladle soup into 8 shallow bowls. Divide crabmeat among bowls. Garnish with radish slices and chives.

   5 min