Cooking
Create the bouquet garni: Wrap the curry leaves (or mint), peppercorns, cinnamon stick, and coriander seeds in a piece of cheesecloth and tie it securely with kitchen twine.
In a 5-quart / 5-liter pan, combine the water or stock, ghee or butter, and the bouquet garni.
Bring to a rolling boil over medium-high heat.
Add the halved baby potatoes, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 5 minutes.
Stir in the carrots, julienned zucchini, and cut green beans. Replace the lid and continue to simmer for another 8 minutes.
If using fresh peas, add them now and simmer for an additional 4 minutes, or until all vegetables are tender-crisp.
Prepare the spinach by stacking the leaves, rolling them into a tight cylinder, and slicing thinly into chiffonade strips.
In a separate bowl, create a smooth slurry by whisking the cornstarch or flour into the light cream until no lumps remain.
Remove and discard the bouquet garni from the pot.
Stir in the spinach chiffonade and the frozen peas (if using).
While stirring constantly, gradually pour the cream slurry into the pot.
Continue to cook and stir for 4 to 5 minutes until the shorba has thickened slightly.
Stir in the salt just before serving to preserve the bright flavors.
Serve hot and enjoy!
Add the delicate spinach and frozen peas at the very end of cooking. This keeps the spinach vibrant green and the peas plump and sweet.