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Indian

Jain Tomato Shorba

Tomato shorba is a light spiced tomato broth, made without onion or garlic.

Published and reviewed by Kitchgrow on 7 September 2026Updated

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Jain Tomato Shorba

30 mintotal

Prep 10 min · Cook 20 min

Serves
2
Difficulty
Easy
Spice
Medium
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Ingredients

Quantities are for 2 servings.

You'll need: Stovetop.

Half an hour. The boiling and straining take most of it; the tempering at the end is under a minute.

Method

  1. In a deep pot, add the chopped tomatoes, green chilli, cinnamon stick, cloves, black peppercorns, and a portion of the water.

  2. Boil on medium heat for 10-12 minutes until the tomatoes are completely mushy.

    10–12 min

  3. Remove the pan from the heat. Carefully fish out the cinnamon stick and bay leaf and discard them.

  4. Blend the remaining mixture into a very smooth puree. Strain it through a fine sieve to remove tomato skins and seeds for a silky texture.

  5. Heat the ghee in a clean pot. Add the cumin seeds and let them splutter.

  6. Add the turmeric and coriander powder. Immediately pour in the strained tomato puree to prevent the spices from burning.

  7. Add the remaining water (adjust for desired consistency) and salt. Bring the shorba to a boil.

  8. Simmer for 5 minutes. Garnish with fresh coriander and serve hot.

    5 min

How to tell it's done

A bright red, thin, and intensely spiced clear broth.

Getting it right

Tip

Unlike Western tomato soups that are thick and creamy, an Indian 'Shorba' should be thin, watery, and highly aromatic from whole spices.

What to serve it with

Serve in small cups/bowls before a heavy Indian meal, or alongside crispy fried snacks.

Common mistakes

The shorba is gritty and tastes of seeds.
Strain it through a fine sieve, pressing hard. This is a clear broth and blending alone leaves the skins and seeds in — they are what make it bitter and rough.
The tempering burns.
Have the strained purée standing next to the pan and pour it in the moment the powdered spices go into the ghee. Turmeric and coriander powder scorch in seconds and take the whole pot with them.

Substitutions

  • Oil replaces ghee for a vegan shorba, though ghee suits the whole spices better. Tinned tomatoes work when fresh ones are pale and often taste rounder. A spoonful of cream or a teaspoon of gram flour cooked into the ghee gives a thicker soup, though shorba is meant to be thin and drinkable.

Storing and reheating

Keeps three days in the fridge and freezes for two months. It thickens as it stands; loosen with water when reheating and check the salt again.