1,000 Indian Recipes (117 page)

Authors: Neelam Batra

BOOK: 1,000 Indian Recipes

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2.
Transfer to a medium saucepan. Mix in the water and salt and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, cover, and keep warm.

3.
Heat the oil (or ghee) in a small saucepan over medium-high heat and add the mustard seeds; they should splutter upon contact with the hot oil, so cover the pan and lower the heat until the spluttering subsides. Quickly add the asafoetida, red chile pepper, and curry leaves. Stir about 30 seconds and mix well into the soup. Garnish with the cilantro and serve.

South Indian Tamarind Soup

Dakshini Imli (Puli) Rasam

Makes 4 to 6 servings

The simplest of its kind, this
rasam
is made with fresh tamarind extract and a generous helping of pre-mixed spicy
rasam
powder, and balanced with a tiny amount of jaggery (
gur)
.

Tamarind pulp, with or without seeds, comes cellophane-wrapped, in 7- to 8-ounce packages, and dried split chickpeas (
channa dal)
come in clear, 1- or 2-pound packages, or larger in Indian markets. Both are available in Indian and Asian markets.

¹⁄
₃cup seedless tamarind pulp

4 to 5 cups water

2 tablespoons dried split chickpeas (channa dal), sorted and washed in 3 to 4 changes of water

2 to 3 tablespoons
South Indian Soup Powder (Rasam Podi)
or store-bought

1 tablespoon peanut oil or melted ghee

3 whole dried red chile peppers, such as chile de arbol

¹⁄
₂teaspoon black mustard seeds

¹⁄
₂teaspoon cumin seeds

1 tablespoon minced fresh curry leaves

¹⁄
₈teaspoon ground asafoetida

¹⁄
₄teaspoon ground turmeric

1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

1 tablespoon grated jaggery (gur), or brown sugar

1.
Soak the tamarind in 1 cup water about 2 hours. Mash with clean fingers or a wooden spoon and pass through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl to extract the pulp. Add another
¹⁄
₂cup water to the leftover pulp, mash and pass through the strainer again to extract more pulp. Discard the residue.

2.
Soak the dal in about
¹⁄
₂cup water about 30 minutes, then drain. Meanwhile, prepare the soup powder.

3.
Heat the oil (or ghee) in a large saucepan and add the red chile peppers, mustard and cumin seeds; they should splutter upon contact with the hot oil, so lower the heat and cover the pan until the spluttering subsides. Mix in the soaked dal and curry leaves and cook, stirring, about 3 minutes. Then add the asafoetida, turmeric, and salt, and stir about 30 seconds.

4.
Mix in the tamarind extract, jaggery, soup powder, and the remaining water, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pan and simmer until the dal is soft, about 15 minutes. Taste, adjust the seasonings, and serve.

South Indian Lemon Soup with Mung Beans

Dakshini Nimboo aur Mung Dal Rasam

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Made with easy-to-cook split yellow mung
beans
and lemon juice instead of tamarind, this
rasam
offers a more delicate and a lighter flavor. For variation, purée 1 large tomato with the ginger and green chile peppers in Step 3.

Try it over steamed white rice or serve it with
Long-Grain Rice with Roasted Peanuts
and a bowl of plain yogurt.

¹⁄
₂cup dried split yellow mung beans (dhulli mung dal), sorted and washed in 3 to 4 changes of water

6 cups water

¹⁄
₄teaspoon ground turmeric

¹⁄
₂teaspoon salt, or to taste

4 quarter-size slices peeled fresh ginger

1 to 3 fresh green chile peppers, such as serrano, stemmed

2 teaspoons peanut oil or melted ghee

2 whole dried red chile peppers, such as chile de arbol

¹⁄
₂teaspoon black mustard seeds

¹⁄
₂teaspoon cumin seeds

¹⁄
₂teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste

¹⁄
₈teaspoon ground asafoetida

6 to 10 fresh curry leaves

1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

¹⁄
₂cup finely chopped fresh cilantro, including soft stems

1.
Soak the dal in 1 cup water until it absorbs the water and softens slightly, about 30 minutes. Then transfer to a large saucepan, add the turmeric, salt, and 2 cups water and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, watching carefully and stirring, until the dal is very soft, 20 to 30 minutes.

2.
With a hand-held beater or immersion blender, whip the dal in the pan, or stir it vigorously to make it as smooth as possible.

3.
In a blender, blend together the ginger and green chile peppers, adding some water until smooth, about 30 seconds. Transfer to the dal and add more water to make about 4 cups of soup. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pan, and simmer about 5 minutes.

4.
Heat the oil (or ghee) in a small saucepan over medium-high heat and add the red chile peppers, and mustard and cumin seeds; they should splutter upon contact with the hot oil, so cover the pan and reduce the heat until the spluttering subsides. Add the black pepper, asafoetida, and curry leaves, stir about 30 seconds, and mix well into the dal. Add the lemon juice and cilantro, bring to a boil once again, and serve.

South Indian Buttermilk Soup

Dakshini Lussi (Mor) Rasam

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Pale in color thanks to the buttermilk, this is a popular creamy
rasam
variation. To prevent the soup from curdling, add the buttermilk slowly and keep stirring until it comes to a rapid boil. Serve the soup with steamed white rice and a side of
Spicy South Indian Potatoes
.