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Rediff.com  » Getahead » Food » Recipe: Jijji's Gazpacho Shots

Recipe: Jijji's Gazpacho Shots

By ZELDA PANDE
July 08, 2022 12:54 IST
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There is nothing better than a serving of chilled gazpacho to cut the heat and feel refreshed.

It is usually served as a soup, but I prefer to serve it in small quantities in glasses or shot glasses as a drink.

And unlike soft drinks, lemonades and lassis, a gazpacho is sugar free, wonderfully nourishing and delicately flavoured and not all like one of those oh-so-healthy, hard-to-swallow veggie smoothies.

My fitness and outdoors-loving, psychiatrist elder sister, Dr Shribala made this splendid recipe on a hot summer day in Los Angeles. It was a gourmet pick-me-up.

She uses Anaheim peppers. I have offered the closest Indian equivalent.

Gazpacho shots

Kindly note the image has been posted only for representational purposes. Photograph: Kind courtesy: Tamorlan/ Wikimedia Commons

Jijji's Gazpacho Shots

Serves 4-5

Ingredients

  • 1 large Bhavnagri mirchi, seeds removed (please see the note below)
  • 1 kg ripe tomatoes
  • 1 red onion, roughly chopped
  • 2-3 pods garlic
  • ½ green skinned cucumber, preferable, or ½ a regular cucumber, peeled
  • Salt to taste
  • 1 tbsp sherry vinegar, available online
  • ¼ cup or more extra virgin olive oil
  • Chilled filtered or boiled or mineral water
  • Tabasco to taste

Method

  • Grind the tomatoes, mirchi, onion, garlic, cucumber to a smooth puree with no added water.
  • Then add the salt, vinegar and enough olive oil so when you blend further the gazpacho turns creamy and smooth and is not watery.
  • If the mirchi was not spicy add Tabasco per taste.
    Strain.
  • Refrigerate till very chilled like and 3-4 hours or more.
  • Before serving adjust seasoning and add a tiny bit of chilled water if too thick.
    Serve in little shot glasses or small glasses.

Note: Bhavnagri chillies are large, fat long chillies that are generally less spicy than regular chillies used in cooking.

Mango, ripe or unripe, makes a nice addition. Or/and celery, Worcestershire sauce, a pinch of sugar. You may want to garnish with chives.
Pineapple is a lovely ingredient for gazpacho. Replace the tomatoes with a full, quite raw, less sweet pineapple.

Gazpacho can also be turned into a cocktail. Line the rim of a margarita glass with tajin powder (available online) and spike the gazpacho with a little vodka or tequila and maybe some kiwi syrup mixer.

For a Jain version, skip onion and garlic and add ginger powder, 1 tbsp chopped celery and a handful of parsley.

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ZELDA PANDE