After a day of fasting, iftar calls for something that gives quick energy but is also light and comfortable for the stomach. A nutritious potato soup can be an excellent choice. Made with easily available ingredients, it warms the body, restores energy and helps digestion after a long time without food. So alongside fried snacks, you can put a bowl of healthy potato soup on the iftar table.

• Potatoes 500 grams (cut into medium cubes)
• Oil 1 tablespoon
• Butter 2 tablespoons
• Chopped onion 1½ tablespoons
• Chopped garlic ½ teaspoon
• Flour 1 tablespoon
• Hot water 2 cups
• Liquid milk 1 cup
• Salt to taste
• Ground black pepper ¼ teaspoon
• Ground white pepper ¼ teaspoon
• Dried rosemary 1 pinch
• Chilli flakes 1 pinch
• Cream 60 grams or ¼ cup
• Cheese 30 grams

First put a dry pot on the stove and add the oil and butter. Heat on a low flame, then add the chopped onion and garlic and fry until golden. Add the flour and keep stirring until it turns light brown and smells fragrant.

Now pour in the hot water and liquid milk and stir well over a medium flame so that no lumps form. When the mixture comes to the boil, add the potatoes, salt, black pepper and white pepper, cover well and cook until the potatoes are completely soft.

Take it off the heat and blend the whole mixture in a blender. Pour it back into the same pot and return it to the stove. Add the cream, cheese, rosemary and chilli flakes and cook over a medium flame, stirring. When it comes to a good boil, take it off the heat. Your nutritious potato soup is ready.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.