Puréed zucchini soup with curry [Photo/The New York Times]

Just the right amount of basmati rice contributes just the right amount of substance to this beautiful, light spring soup.

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 pounds zucchini, diced (about 7 cups diced)

2 teaspoons curry powder

6 cups chicken stock, vegetable stock or water

1/4 cup basmati rice

Salt to taste

Freshly ground pepper (I like a lot of it in this soup)

Pinch of cayenne

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

For garnish:

2 tablespoons chopped chives

1 small zucchini, sliced paper-thin, tossed with salt and, if desired, lemon juice, and marinated for 15 minutes or longer

Garlic croutons (optional)

1. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy soup pot and add the onion. Cook, stirring, until it is tender, about 5 minutes. Add a generous pinch of salt, the garlic and the zucchini and stir for about a minute, until the garlic smells fragrant. Add the curry powder, stir together, and add the stock or water, the rice and salt to taste. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, cover and simmer 30 minutes. Taste and adjust salt.

2. Purée the soup with an immersion blender or a food mill or in batches in a blender, taking care to remove the lid or take out the center insert and to cover with a towel to avoid hot splashes. Return to the pot, heat through, add pepper and cayenne to taste and stir in the lemon juice. Serve, garnishing each bowl with paper-thin slices of zucchini, chopped chives and croutons if desired.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings.

Advance preparation: This will keep for a couple of days in the refrigerator but tastes best on the day it's made. It can also be frozen.

Nutritional information per serving (4 servings): 146 calories; 4 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 3 grams monounsaturated fat; 0 milligrams cholesterol; 22 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 60 milligrams sodium (does not include salt to taste); 7 grams protein

Nutritional information per serving (6 servings): 97 calories; 3 grams fat; 0 grams saturated fat; 0 grams polyunsaturated fat; 2 grams monounsaturated fat; 0 milligrams cholesterol; 15 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 40 milligrams sodium (does not include salt to taste); 5 grams protein

The New York Times