ACK 5.15: Tamatar ka soup

Wash the tomatoes and cut each one into 8 wedges. Put them in an electric blender and blend them for a minute; then press the sauce through a sieve to remove bits of skin. (If you don't have a blender, blanch the tomatoes and press them through a sieve). Set aside.

Heat the ghee or vegetable oil in a heavy saucepan and fry the ground coriander and asafoetida for a few seconds. Add the tomatoes. Adjust the heat to medium-low and cook the tomatoes for 20-25 minutes. Then add the chopped coriander, sugar, salt, pepper, and cayenne.

Heat the butter in another saucepan and stir-fry the flour over low heat to brown it lightly. Now slowly add the milk and continue to cook (while stirring all the time to prevent lumps from forming) until the sauce thickens. Finally, mix this into the tomatoes, add the lemon juice, and serve hot.

For a garnish, you can pan-fry a tablespoon of vermicelli in a little butter and spread it over the surface of the soup.