Indian Style Tomato Soup and Grilled Cheese

For the Tomato Soup:

Step 1

Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat until hot. Add the cumin seeds, mustard seeds, curry leaves and red chile and cook until it crackles, about 30 seconds. Add the onions, ginger-garlic paste and cilantro and cook until the onions are slightly caramelized, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, tomato puree, masoor dal, sambar powder, salt and pepper, to taste. Cover with water until all the fresh tomatoes are covered and let it cook on a low heat until the lentils are soft, 25 to 30 minutes.

Step 2

Carefully ladle the soup into a high-powered blender and blend until smooth, taking care when blending hot liquids. Pour into a medium-large saucepan and add the coconut milk and butter. Heat over medium, stirring occasionally, until just bubbling.

Step 3

For the cheese filling: Combine the cheese, cilantro, chili powder, cumin, garam masala and salt to taste in a medium bowl and reserve.

For the Sandwiches:

Step 4

Lay out the bread slices and top half of the slices with the cheese filling. Top with the other slices of bread and spread half the softened butter on the top piece of each sandwich.

Step 5

Preheat a double-burner cast-iron griddle pan over medium heat. Add the sandwiches, butter-side down. Carefully spread the remaining butter on the top sides of the sandwiches and cook, turning once, until the bread is golden, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer the sandwiches to paper towels. Cut each sandwich in half on the diagonal.

Step 6

Serve the tomato soup hot with the grilled cheese sandwiches on the side.