1,000 Indian Recipes (115 page)

3.
Remove the meat pieces and reserve for another recipe. Keep the bones in the pan and continue to simmer until the broth is reduced by at least half, about 1 hour. Simmer longer for a more concentrated broth.

4.
Let cool. Secure a piece of muslin or 4 layers of cheesecloth around a large bowl and pour the broth through the cloth into the bowl. Discard the cloth. Chill the clear broth in the refrigerator, at least 2 hours. With a spoon, remove and discard the layer of fat that solidifies on the top. Reheat to serve.

Tomato Soups

Creamy Tomato Soup

Tamatar ka Soop

Makes 6 to 8 servings

Smooth, rich, and comforting, this is the soup I associate with cold New Delhi winters. With potato cutlets or slices of grilled bread on the side, we used to pretend we were eating a very "European" meal.

1 teaspoon cumin seeds, dry-roasted and coarsely ground (
Dry-Roasting Spices
)

1 small red onion, coarsely chopped

2 quarter-size slices peeled fresh ginger

1 medium carrot, unpeeled, coarsely chopped

1 small russet (or any) potato, unpeeled, coarsely chopped

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1
¹
⁄
₂
pounds ripe tomatoes, coarsely chopped

4 cups water

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 cup milk, any kind

¹
⁄
₄
teaspoon nutmeg (freshly grated preferred)

¹
⁄
₂
cup plain whole-milk or low-fat yogurt, whisked until smooth

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1.
Prepare the cumin seeds. Then, place the onion and ginger in a food processor and pulse until minced. Transfer to a bowl. Then add the carrot and potato and pulse until minced. Transfer to another bowl. Add the tomatoes and pulse until coarsely chopped. Leave in the food processor.

2.
Heat the oil in a large nonstick saucepan over medium heat and cook the onion and ginger, stirring, until translucent, about 1 minute. Add the minced carrot and potato and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Mix in the tomatoes, increase the heat to high and cook, stirring, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the water, salt, and sugar, cover the pan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and cook about 15 minutes.

3.
Let cool, then if desired, pass the soup through a food mill or a fine-mesh strainer into a heatproof bowl. (If you prefer a chunky soup, do not strain.) Return to the pan and boil once again.

4.
Dissolve the cornstarch in the milk and stir it into the boiling soup. Season with the cumin and nutmeg. Transfer to a serving bowl, swirl in the yogurt, garnish with the cilantro and black pepper, and serve.

Tomato Soup with Fresh Curry Leaves

Kari Pattae vaala Tamatar ka Soop

Makes 6 to 8 servings

Indians are big on tomato soups, making them with every flavor imaginable. When juicy, delicious, vine-ripened tomatoes are available, they may well be the only main ingredient. Other times, selected vegetables are added to give the soup more body, as I do in this recipe. Look for curry leaves and ground asafoetida in Indian markets or specialty food stores.

1 teaspoon vegetable oil

15 to 20 fresh curry leaves

4 to 5 quarter-size slices peeled fresh ginger

1 small onion, coarsely chopped

¹
⁄
₈
teaspoon ground asafoetida

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

1
¹
⁄
₂
pounds ripe tomatoes, coarsely chopped

2 small carrots, unpeeled, coarsely chopped

1 large round white (or any kind) potato, unpeeled, coarsely chopped

1 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro, including soft stems

¹
⁄
₂
cup coarsely chopped broccoli or cauliflower stems (optional)

3 to 5 cups water

1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1 tablespoon heavy or light cream

1.
Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat and cook the curry leaves, ginger, and onion, stirring until golden, 1 to 2 minutes.

2.
Stir in first the asafoetida and then all the vegetables and 3 cups water, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pan, and simmer until the vegetables are very soft, about 30 minutes.

3.
Let cool off the heat, then pass the soup through a food mill or blend in a blender until smooth. If using a blender, pour through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl, if you prefer a smoother consistency.

4.
Return the soup to the saucepan, add the salt and black pepper and more water as necessary for the consistency you like. Boil over high heat about 2 minutes, or longer if you wish. Transfer to a serving bowl, swirl in the cream and serve. Or present in cups, with each cup of soup topped with a few drops of cream.

Tomato Soup with Sautéed Vegetables

Sabziyon vaala Tamatar ka Soop

Makes 6 to 8 servings

Fortified with chunks of vegetables, this soup is filling enough to be served on its own. Throw in chunks of cooked chicken (or
paneer
cheese for the vegetarians), or better still, add the chicken pieces along with the vegetables and cook them in the soup, for a heartier version. Also, mix in some of the celery greens—they add to the flavor.

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 bay leaf

2 teaspoons cumin seeds

3 to 4 leeks, white parts only, cleaned and chopped

1 large clove fresh garlic, minced

1 tablespoon peeled minced fresh ginger

1 cup finely chopped celery stems

1 tablespoon ground coriander

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon ground paprika

3 cups mixed fresh or frozen vegetables, cut into
³
⁄
₄
-inch or smaller pieces, such as green beans, carrots, mixed bell peppers, broccoli, potatoes, peas

1
¹
⁄
₂
pounds ripe tomatoes, coarsely chopped

1 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro, including soft stems + more for garnish

1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste

2 to 3 cups water

1.
Heat the oil in a large nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Add the bay leaf and cumin seeds; they should sizzle upon contact with the hot oil. Quickly add the leeks and cook, stirring, until they start to turn golden, 3 to 4 minutes.

2.
Add the garlic, ginger, and celery, and cook, stirring, about 2 minutes, then mix in the coriander and paprika. Add the vegetables and cook, stirring, until crisp-tender, 7 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.

3.
In a food processor or a blender, process together the tomatoes and cilantro to make a fine purée and transfer to the pan in which the vegetables were cooked. Mix in the salt and black pepper and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low, add the water, cover the pan, and simmer about 10 minutes.

4.
Mix in the reserved vegetables and bring to a rolling boil, then simmer about 5 more minutes, or a little longer if you prefer your vegetables to be soft. Transfer to a serving bowl, garnish with cilantro, and serve.

Tomato Soup with Yellow Mung Beans

Dhulli Moong aur Tamatar ka Soop

Makes 4 to 6 servings

This is the standard home tomato soup that my mother fed the family at least three times a week. It can be made with many types of
dal
(legumes), but my mom and I use yellow mung beans because they take about the same time as the tomatoes to cook and give the soup a flavor and protein boost.

Yellow mung beans come in clear, 1- or 2-pound packages (larger in Indian markets) and are available in the Asian section of most supermarkets, as well as in most ethnic markets.

1
¹
⁄
₂
pounds vine-ripened tomatoes, coarsely chopped