Tomato Soup:

Heat oil in a saucepan and sauté the garlic and pepper corns till the garlic turns slightly brown and aromatic

Add the chopped tomatoes and sauté on Low heat covered till the tomato skin is almost loosened/peeled off

After keeping aside a few leaves for garnish, add the coriander leaves and sauté for 2 minutes and take off heat

Let cool and blend fine with very little water if needed

Transfer the soup to the saucepan once again

Add salt and cook the soup on Low heat until thick /has achieved the desired consistency

Serve warm garnished with coriander leaves reserved aside

Tip: if you need to get the soup to thicken quickly, dissolve 1 tbsn cornflour in 2 tbspn water and add it to the simmering soup

Scottish fruit scones:

Set oven to 220C

Mix the flour and baking powder in a bowl, rub in margarine using your fingers - or cut it into the dry ingredients using a pastry blender.

Stir in the sugar and sultanas.then add milk a little at a time while mixing to a stiff dough with a fork. Be careful not to overmix as that can make the scones 'tough' (not soft and crumbly as they should be).

Turn dough onto a floured surface and roll out to about 1/2 inch thick. Cut into heart shape or rounds (as the traditional Scottish scone) using a cookie cutter

Place on baking tray and bake for about 10 minutes, or until scones are risen and golden

Serve warm or at room temperature with the Tomato Soup