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basic vegetable white stock recipe | Indian white vegetable stock for soups | healthy white vegetable broth |
Tarla Dalal
14 May, 2025
Table of Content
basic vegetable white stock recipe | Indian white vegetable stock for soups | healthy white vegetable broth | with 15 imgages.
Crafting a basic vegetable white stock forms the unsung hero of countless flavorful vegetarian soups, providing a subtle yet crucial foundation that elevates the overall taste profile. This simple stock, made with readily available vegetables like bottle gourd (doodhi or lauki), onion, potatoes, and cabbage, extracts the inherent sweetness and earthy notes from these ingredients through a gentle boiling process. Unlike more complex stocks that might include aromatic herbs and spices, this basic white stock focuses on the clean, natural essence of the vegetables themselves, offering a versatile base that won't overpower the delicate flavors of the final soup.
The method for creating this foundational stock is remarkably straightforward. Roughly chopped vegetables are added to a pot of boiling water and simmered for a brief period. This process allows the water to draw out the soluble flavors, vitamins, and minerals from the vegetables. The relatively short boiling time ensures that the stock retains a light and clear character, avoiding any bitterness that can sometimes develop from prolonged cooking. The vegetables, having imparted their essence to the liquid, are then strained away, leaving behind a subtly fragrant and flavorful broth.
This basic vegetable white stock lends a gentle sweetness and a nuanced vegetal undertone to Indian vegetarian soups that plain water simply cannot replicate. The natural sugars present in the onions and potatoes contribute a mild sweetness, while the bottle gourd and cabbage impart a delicate earthiness. This subtle complexity adds layers of flavor to the soup, making it more satisfying and well-rounded. When used as the liquid base, the stock infuses the other soup ingredients with its inherent flavors as they cook, creating a more harmonious and integrated taste.
Compared to using just water, a vegetable stock provides a depth of flavor that enhances the overall culinary experience. Water, while essential, is neutral and contributes nothing to the taste of the soup beyond its liquid consistency. A well-made vegetable stock, even a basic one like this, carries the essence of the vegetables it was made from, adding a subtle richness and complexity that elevates the soup from a simple collection of cooked vegetables in water to a flavorful and nourishing broth. This is particularly important in vegetarian cooking, where the stock often forms the primary source of savory depth.
The versatility of this basic vegetable white stock makes it an invaluable asset in the Indian vegetarian kitchen. It can serve as the foundation for a wide array of soups, from light and clear broths to creamy and hearty bisques. Depending on the desired flavor profile of the final soup, one can further enhance this base stock with specific herbs, spices, or even a touch of ginger or garlic. Its neutral yet flavorful character allows it to complement a variety of vegetables and seasonings without overpowering them.
In conclusion, a basic vegetable white stock, prepared with simple vegetables like bottle gourd, onion, potatoes, and cabbage, offers a significant advantage over plain water when making Indian vegetarian soups. It imparts a subtle sweetness and a nuanced vegetal flavor that enriches the overall taste, creating a more satisfying and well-rounded culinary experience. This foundational stock serves as a versatile building block, allowing the natural flavors of the other soup ingredients to shine through while providing a gentle depth that elevates the dish from simple sustenance to a flavorful and nourishing creation.
Enjoy basic vegetable white stock recipe | Indian white vegetable stock for soups | healthy white vegetable broth | with step by step photos.
Tags
Preparation Time
15 Mins
Cooking Time
10 Mins
Total Time
25 Mins
Makes
4 cups
Ingredients
for basic vegetable white stock.
1 1/2 cups roughly chopped bottle gourd (doodhi / lauki)
1 cup roughly chopped onion
1 cup roughly chopped potatoes
1/4 cup roughly chopped cabbage
Method
Method for basic vegetable white stock.
- To make basic vegetable white stock boil 5 cups of water in a deep non-stick pan.
- Add all the vegetables and boil on a high flame for 10 minutes.
- Strain the water using a strainer and discard the vegetables.
- Use basic vegetable white stock as required.
Basic White Stock recipe with step by step photos
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- white stock for soups recipe | how to make white stock Indian style | uses of white stock |
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- what is vegetable white stock made of ? See below image of list of ingredients for vegetable white stock.
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To make basic vegetable stock recipe | Indian vegetable stock | healthy vegetable stock | vegetable stock for soup | scrub the vegetables and wash them to remove any dirt.
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Chop all the vegetables and keep them ready. There is no need to chop the vegetables finely or accurately as you just need to simmer them till they leach out all the flavor. Remember the greater the surface area, the more quickly vegetables will yield their flavor. Many people do not even peel the vegetables before chopping, that is your personal preference.
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Boil 5 cups of water in a deep non-stick pan. The pan/pot must be big enough to hold all the vegetables plus a few extra inches of water.
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Add 1 1/2 cups roughly chopped bottle gourd (doodhi / lauki). There is no need to be so specific about the vegetables you add. Onions, carrots and celery are the basic vegetable stock flavor providers and you can combine them with whatever is easily available like garlic, mushrooms, corn cobs, bell peppers or fresh herbs like rosemary, thyme, parsley and leek. Many people also add bay leaves and whole peppercorns.
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Add 1 cup roughly chopped onions. If you are making a Chinese soup recipes, you can replace onions with spring onions to make the evegatble stock more flavorful.
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Add 1 cup roughly chopped potatoes. Potatoes contribute a mild starchiness and a subtle earthy flavor to the stock, enhancing its overall taste and thickening properties. However, it's crucial to use potatoes sparingly to avoid overpowering the stock's delicate flavor profile.
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Add 1/4 cup roughly chopped cabbage.
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Boil for 5 minutes.
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Reduce the flame and simmer for 30 minutes to 60 minutes. Ideally simmer for 1 hour to get the best flavour. If you want a clear stock with a delicate flavor, then simmering is the best method.
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Strain the water using a strainer and discard the vegetables.
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Use as required.
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To make basic vegetable stock recipe | Indian vegetable stock | healthy vegetable stock | vegetable stock for soup | scrub the vegetables and wash them to remove any dirt.
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- Use fresh, high-quality vegetables to make vegetable stock.
- Strain the vegetable stock through a fine-mesh sieve to remove any solids.
- Simmering is a better method for making white vegetable stock than boiling. This is because simmering cooks the vegetables slowly and evenly, which helps to release their flavor and nutrients.
- Combine the vegetables in a large pan with water. The amount of water you will need will depend on the amount of vegetables you are using. A good rule of thumb is to use enough water to cover the vegetables by at least 2 inches.
- Store white stock in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Nutrient values (Abbrv)per plate
| Energy | 71 cal |
| Protein | 1.4 g |
| Carbohydrates | 16 g |
| Fiber | 2.2 g |
| Fat | 0.1 g |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg |
| Sodium | 8.5 mg |
Click here to view Calories for Basic White Stock
The Nutrient info is complete
Leena_Dhoot
March 13, 2025, midnight
Great flavour. Can be used universally! I add salt and pepper for taste as well.
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