1,000 Indian Recipes (120 page)

Sindhi Toor Dal ka Soop

Makes 4 to 6 servings

This quick-cooking soup is made in a pressure cooker. Indians have been using pressure cookers for the last 40 years or so. Even traditionalists like my mother got one and used it often, sometimes two or three times a day. As a result, I grew up learning to cook with them, so I know their worth in the kitchen. In America, I still use them at every opportunity.

This soup is my aunt's special recipe. Based on a Sindhi
kadhi
—a special yogurt or
dal
(legume) curry—this soup can be made thin or thick.

2 to 3 tablespoons
Tamarind Paste
or lemon juice

1 cup dried yellow split pigeon peas (toor dal), sorted and washed in 3 to 4 changes of water

1 tablespoon peeled minced fresh ginger

1 to 3 fresh green chile peppers, such as serrano, coarsely chopped

1 large tomato, coarsely chopped

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⁄
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teaspoon ground turmeric

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⁄
₂
teaspoon salt, or to taste

5 cups water, or more as needed

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

12 to 15 fresh curry leaves

2 tablespoons chickpea flour

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⁄
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teaspoon ground paprika

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⁄
₈
teaspoon ground asafoetida

1.
Prepare the tamarind paste. Then, place the dal, ginger, green chile peppers, tomato, turmeric, salt, and water in a pressure cooker. Secure the lid and cook over high heat until the regulator indicates high pressure, then cook about 30 seconds more. Remove from the heat and allow to depressurize on its own, 12 to 15 minutes. Carefully remove the lid, let cool, then pass everything through a food mill or a fine-mesh strainer and place in a bowl.

2.
Heat the oil in a large nonstick wok or saucepan over medium-high heat and add the cumin and mustard seeds; they should splutter upon contact with the hot oil, so cover the pan and reduce the heat until the spluttering subsides. Quickly add the curry leaves, stir a few seconds, then add the chickpea flour, paprika, and asafoetida and stir until the chickpea flour is fragrant and golden, 1 to 2 minutes.

3.
Mix in the dal soup, the tamarind, and more water if you want, bring to a boil, and continue to boil, over medium-high heat the first 2 to 3 minutes and then over medium heat, 5 to 7 minutes, to blend the flavors. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve hot.

Quick Lentil, Barley, and Vegetable Soup

Dal, Jau aur Sabziyon ka Soop

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Pearl barley adds a silky smoothness to this satisfying soup. Serve it with
naan
(leavened oven-baked bread) or
parantha
(unleavened, flaky pan-fried bread) and a glass of chilled Indian beer.

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⁄
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cup dried lentils (masoor dal), sorted and washed in 3 to 4 changes of water

¹
⁄
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cup pearl barley

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 tablespoon melted ghee

2 bay leaves

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

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⁄
₈
teaspoon ground asafoetida

1 cup finely chopped onion

1 tablespoon peeled minced fresh ginger

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1 to 3 fresh green chile peppers, such as serrano, minced with seeds

3 cups finely chopped fresh or frozen mixed vegetables, such as bell peppers, green beans, carrots, celery, peas, corn and others

4 to 5 cups water

1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce

1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

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⁄
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teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 teaspoon dried fenugreek leaves

¹
⁄
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teaspoon garam masala

1.
Soak the lentils and barley in a medium bowl of water to cover until they absorb some water and soften slightly, about 1 hour. Then pour through a fine-mesh strainer over another bowl, saving the water to use as part of the soup.

2.
Heat the oil and ghee in a pressure cooker over medium-high heat and add the bay leaves and cumin seeds; they should sizzle upon contact with the hot oil. Quickly add the asafoetida and onions and cook, stirring, until the onions are golden, about 5 minutes. Mix in the ginger, garlic, and green chile peppers and stir momentarily, then add the lentils and barley. Cook, stirring, over medium-high heat about 5 minutes. Add the vegetables and cook another 5 minutes.

3.
Mix in the water, tomato sauce, salt, and black pepper. Secure the lid of the pressure cooker and cook over high heat until the regulator indicates high pressure, then cook 1 minute more. Remove from the heat and allow to depressurize on its own, 12 to 15 minutes. Carefully remove the lid and check to see if the lentils are tender. If not, reseal the lid, bring back up to high pressure and cook another 30 seconds, or cover with another lid and cook until tender.

4.
Carefully open the pressure cooker, add the lime juice and fenugreek leaves, and bring to a boil over high heat. Adjust seasonings and remove the bay leaves, if needed, then transfer to a serving bowl, mix in the garam masala, and serve.

Fast Black Bean Soup, Indian Style

Kaalae Rajma ka Soop

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Once you know how to cook one type of dried beans in a pressure cooker, you can cook all dried beans, and black beans, more commonly associated with Mexican cooking, are no different. In fact, I find they cook faster than some other beans and legumes (such as black chickpeas) that are part of the traditional Indian pantry—and they are a great source of protein, calcium, and iron. Although this soup strays from the Mexican tradition, even a Mexican friend was astonished at its delicious flavor.

1 cup dried black beans, sorted and washed in 3 to 4 changes of water

4 cups water

1 to 3 fresh green chile peppers, such as serrano, minced with seeds

1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

1 tablespoon peanut oil

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

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⁄
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cup finely chopped onion

1 tablespoon peeled minced fresh ginger

1 large clove fresh garlic, minced

1 large tomato, finely chopped

1 tablespoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon ground cumin

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⁄
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teaspoon ground turmeric

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⁄
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teaspoon ground asafoetida

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⁄
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cup nonfat plain yogurt, whisked until smooth

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⁄
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cup finely chopped fresh cilantro, including soft stems

1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce

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⁄
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teaspoon garam masala

1.
Place the beans in a pressure cooker along with the water, chile peppers, and salt. Secure the lid and cook over high heat until the regulator indicates high pressure, then cook about 1
¹
⁄
₂
minutes more. Remove from the heat and allow to depressurize on its own, 12 to 15 minutes. Carefully remove the lid and check if the beans are soft. If not, secure lid, bring back up to high pressure and cook another 30 seconds, or cover with another lid and cook over medium heat until tender.

2.
Heat the oil in a medium nonstick wok or saucepan over medium-high heat and add the cumin seeds; they should sizzle upon contact with the hot oil. Quickly add the onion and cook, stirring, until golden, about 3 minutes. Add the ginger, garlic, and tomato, and cook until all the juices evaporate, 5 to 7 minutes.