Let’s play a little foodie word association game to start your Tuesday off right! This is how it works – I’m going to list a bunch of foods and the first word or two that comes to mind after I type them out. You can even play along in the comments section if you’re so inclined! I promise it’s fun. Ok here we go…
Apple…Red
Banana…Smoothies
Chocolate…An obsession
Quinoa…Protein
Peanut…Butter
Almond…Milk
Coffee…Ice cream
Spinach…Leafy
Peas…Gross
Asparagus…Smelly pee
Yes, you read that right. Whenever I think of asparagus, I think of smelly pee. I can’t help it. If you’re an asparagus eater and have never smelled “the scent,” you need to get your nose checked. There’s no way you can miss it!
So you can imagine the first thought that came to mind when my sister shared an Asparagus Soup recipe with me! Well, I figured that since smelly urine has never led me to not eat roasted asparagus before, why should it stop me from making soup out if it. It won’t, and it didn’t!
My inspiration came from this recipe, but because I didn’t have a lot of the ingredients on hand, I had to improvise a bit. Go figure!
With that being said, you must trust me with this recipe. The combination of ingredients I came up with may sound a little strange at first, but believe me when I say, this soup is delicious. Try it alongside a grilled cheese, and you have the perfect dinner ready in no time flat. That is a Parita promise!
Asparagus Soup
3-4 cups chopped asparagus (1/2 inch pieces)
2 cups water
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon all purpose flour
2 cups almond milk
pinch of nutmeg
salt, black pepper, and red pepper powder* to taste
2 teaspoons Earth Balance
Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add asparagus, water, rosemary, parsley, and garlic. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 10 minutes. Puree asparagus mixture in a blender until smooth, being very careful as the mixture is extremely hot. Place a large sauce pan on medium heat, add flour and almond milk, and whisk until smooth. Slowly pore in asparagus mixture and stir until combined. Add nutmeg, salt, black pepper, and red pepper powder. Before serving, add Earth Balance and stir until combined.
*I use an Indian red pepper powder (marchu) in a lot of my non-Indian dishes because it delivers a lot of heat and flavor. If you were to buy any Indian spice, this one should be it. Again, you just have to trust me!
This soup is so flavorful, creamy, and rich. And because of the two different kinds of pepper, there’s a subtle spiciness that works really well with the combination of ingredients.
Smelly pee and all – this soup is a winner!
Pick a few of the foods listed at the beginning of the post and tell me the first word or two that comes to mind when you think of them!
Haha fun start to the post…and for what it’s worth, as soon as I saw the title of your post, smelly pee came to mind!! This looks yummy though, I’ve had asparagus soup in the past and fortunately no side effects!
Here’s one of mine to add to the game:
Parita’s blog: guaranteed smile
You’re too kind, K! I <3 you too!!!
I will definitely try this recipe. Asparagus is one of the few vegetables my husband will eat so we eat it by the boatloads. This recipe would be devoured by the bucketloads in our house I think. Have you thought about roasting the asparagus (with non stick spray) first as a variation in the recipe? I will try it and let you know how that goes!
Oh, good idea! I think that would really help bring out the asparagus flavor. Let me know if you try it out!
Do you know some people’s pee doesn’t smell after eating asparagus? It’s some genetic thing. Mine smells! 🙂
I’ll be looking for that marchu at the farmer’s market. It’s different than cayenne? I love anything spicy!
Spinach = smoothie
Peas = ice (I still use frozen peas to ice sore muscles!)
I find that “marchu” adds a really unique kind of heat. I think it’d work great in a lot of your dishes. If you need the names of a few Indian grocery stores in Atlanta, let me know.
I’m so glad you liked my idea!! That we can have a reciprocal relationship (I’d say 90-10) with this recipe sharing business is so exciting 😀
Just out of curiosity, did you strain the soup or leave it as is? My soup had a lot of fibers from the asparagus and I had to strain it before I actually enjoyed it. Let me know! (My blender might also just suck.)
I did not strain it. I think we need to get you a better blender, Dr!
oooh, i’ve never had asparagus soup, this looks delish. i bet even a little sour cream would work.. light, of course.
for spinach, i thought of green.
for asparagus, i thought of salmon – that’s usually when i eat it.
for apple, i thought of allergic – i am to raw apples.
🙂
You’re allergic to raw apples?! That’s sad! How did you find out about that allergy?
So interestingly, some people’s pee doesn’t smell and some people can’t smell that smell (like they lack those receptors in their nose). And there’s no correlation between the two!
Anyway, the asparagus soup sounds tasty!
You know, when I read your comment, I remembered a conversation Vishnu and I had about this. When I told him that his pee was going to smell, he had no idea what I was talking about and then he explained all the science behind it!
Yep – I think of that too when I see asparagus. Also that it looks kinda phallic. (But I have tendency to think naughty thoughts about my vegetables. Too many hen’s nights :P)
I’ve never tried making a soup out of it before so am really interested in trying this – smelly pee or not!
HAHAHA! You crack me up! Let me know if you try this out. 🙂
I loooooooove asparagus…any way possible, it is sooooo yummmiiiiiieeee. Thanks for this one 🙂