Vegetarian Cream of Mushroom and Almond Soup

I learned to make almond soup three years ago from my very talented cook in Hyderabad. But before I could try it myself, I wanted to add a spicy twist to it. So I thought why not add a bunch of whole spices and see if they can blend well. And I also wanted to recreate mushroom soup I had in Kebab Factory once in Somerville, MA. So I guess when I first made this soup, everything came together and I created this hot appetizer I love having in the winter.

Serves: 3-4

Prep time: 20 mins

You'll need:
Whole almonds (8-12)
1 cup milk (I prefer whole milk)
1 small onion (I prefer white)
2-3 cloves of garlic

6-8 button mushrooms
Salt, black pepper powder

1/2 green chili pepper (optional)

Spices (1/2 tsp cumin seeds, 1 bay leaf, 2 whole cardamom seeds, a small portion of cinnamon stick and star anise, 2 cloves)

Extra virgin olive oil

Prep:
1. Wash almonds and soak them in water in a microwavable bowl.
2. Microwave them for 2 minutes.
3. In the meantime, chop onion into medium-sized pieces and mince the garlic and green chili.
4. When almonds are microwaved, separate them but do not throw the water.
5. Peel the skins of almonds and halve them. Set one or two aside for garnishing and cut them into thin long pieces.

6. Rinse or wipe mushrooms with a wet cloth and cut into thin long pieces.
7. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet. Add cumin seeds, bay leaf, cinnamon, star anise and cloves. Break the cardamom seeds and also add those.

8. When the cumin seeds start to splutter, add onions, garlic and green chili. Sauté them until they are
lightly golden brown.
9. Add the mushrooms and almonds. Continue stirring.

10. Add black pepper powder and salt to taste. Stir until the mushrooms are slightly brown. Turn off the heat.

11. Add 1 tbsp milk and mix.

12. Transfer the contents of the skillet to a blender and blend into a smooth paste.

13. In the meanwhile, heat the rest of the milk in a pot. Also add the water saved from the almond bowl.

14. Keep adding a tablespoon of warm milk to the blender to make a consistent paste so that all the whole spices are well blended.

15. When the milk in the pot begins to boil, turn the heat to medium-low and add the paste to it. Be careful while transferring hot beverages.

16. Add more salt and black pepper to taste. Thicken the soup to desired consistency. If it is too thick, add more water and bring to a boil. Mix well and garnish with the remaining almonds.