For this fresh-tasting soup, I blend the tomatoes to a cream in the food processor without peeling them and cook them only a little. The egg and lemon finish gives it a creamy texture. The rice should be cooked separately and added just before serving as it goes mushy if it stays too long in the soup. Spearmint is commonly used but you can use other types of mint.
Recipe information
Yield
serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
First, cook the rice. If using basmati rice, wash it in a bowl of cold water, then drain and rinse under cold running water. Pour it into plenty of boiling salted water and cook for about 20 minutes, until just tender. (Some brands that claim not to be parboiled or precooked now take as little as 8 to 10 minutes, so read the information on the package.) Drain and keep it to one side until you are ready to serve.
Step 2
In a large pan bring to the boil 1 1/4 cups water with the crumbled chicken bouillon cubes.
Step 3
Without peeling them, cut the tomatoes into quarters and remove the hard white bits near the stem end. Blend to a light cream in the food processor and add to the pan. Season with salt, pepper, and sugar and add the chopped mint. Mix well and simmer for 5 minutes.
Step 4
Just before serving, stir in the rice, adding a little water if the soup is too thick, and bring to the boil. In a little bowl, beat the egg with the lemon juice. Add a ladle of the soup to the egg, beat well, pour it into the soup, stirring vigorously for a few seconds, only until it becomes creamy, then quickly take it off the heat. Do not let it boil again, or the egg will set.
