1,000 Indian Recipes (121 page)

3.
Add the coriander, cumin, turmeric, and asafoetida, stir and cook 30 seconds, then stir in the yogurt, a little at a time, to prevent it from curdling. Cook about 1 minute, then mix into the beans. Add the cilantro, tomato sauce, and more water if the soup seems thick, and cook another 5 minutes. Trans-fer to a serving bowl, garnish with garam masala, and serve.

Chilled Chickpea Soup

Channae ka Thanda Soop

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Indians don't typically serve their soups chilled. But I got creative with this creamy chickpea soup, which is truly Indian in every other way, except temperature. It is great for warmer weather not only because it's chilled, but because this quick dish uses canned chickpeas, meaning you spend almost no time in a hot kitchen.

4 quarter-size slices peeled fresh ginger

1 large clove fresh garlic, peeled

1 fresh green chile pepper, such as serrano, stemmed

2 (15
¹
⁄
₂
-ounce) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed

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

3 cups nonfat plain yogurt

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⁄
₄
teaspoon salt, or to taste

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon peanut oil

2 to 3 dried red chile peppers, such as chile de arbol, with stems

1 teaspoon cumin seeds, coarsely ground

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon ajwain seeds, coarsely ground

1.
In a food processor or a blender, process together the ginger, garlic, green chile pepper, chickpeas, and
¹
⁄
₄
cup cilantro until smooth. Then mix in the yogurt, salt, and black pepper and process again until smooth. Transfer to a serving bowl.

2.
Heat the oil in a small nonstick saucepan over medium-high heat and cook the red chile peppers, stirring until softened, about 30 seconds. Then add the cumin and ajwain seeds; they should sizzle upon contact with the hot oil. Quickly add the other
¹
⁄
₄
cup cilantro and stir until wilted, about 1 minute. Transfer to the soup and swirl lightly to mix, with parts of the spiced oil visible as a garnish.

Chickpea Soup with Chicken Broth

Murgh Yakhni aur Channae ka Soop

Makes 4 to 6 servings

The broth adds a rich layer of flavor and the chickpeas make this simple soup hearty.

3 quarter-size slices peeled fresh ginger

1 (15
¹
⁄
₂
-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

3 cups canned reduced-fat low-sodium chicken broth or 1 recipe
Spicy Chicken Broth

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 cup lowfat milk, at room temperature

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⁄
₂
teaspoon salt, or to taste

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⁄
₂
teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

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⁄
₄
to
¹
⁄
₂
cup whipping cream (optional)

1 tablespoon peanut oil

1 to 3 fresh green chile peppers, such as serrano, stemmed, seeded, and cut into thin diagonal slices

1 teaspoon black mustard seeds

¹
⁄
₄
teaspoon ground asafoetida

1.
In a food processor or a blender, process together ginger, chickpeas, and broth until smooth.

2.
Melt the butter in a large nonstick saucepan over medium-low heat, add the flour and cook, stirring and watching, until golden and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Increase the heat to medium-high and add the milk in a thin stream, stirring constantly to prevent the formation of any lumps, until the sauce is smooth, about 2 minutes.

3.
Mix in the processed chickpea blend, then the salt, black pepper, and lime juice. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pan, and simmer about 5 minutes to blend the flavors, adding more broth or water if you prefer a thinner soup. Mix in the cream (if using) and boil again. Transfer to a serving bowl.

4.
Heat the oil in a small nonstick saucepan over medium-high heat and cook the red chile peppers, stirring until softened, about 30 seconds. Add the mustard seeds and asafoetida; they should splutter upon contact with the hot oil, so cover the pan and reduce the heat until the spluttering subsides. Quickly add the spiced oil to the soup and swirl lightly to mix, with parts of it visible as a garnish. Serve hot or let soup cool. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours and serve chilled.

Quick Black Chickpea Soup with Cumin Seeds
 

Kaalae Channae ka Soop

Makes 4 to 6 servings

This soup is a potent potion—in flavor and nutrients. Black chickpeas outdo most other dried beans in nutrition as they are richer in protein, calcium, and minerals. Black chickpeas are a little firm even when fully cooked, and they have a nutty, earthy flavor beautifully balanced when cooked with Indian seasonings. This flavor is enhanced if you cook them in a cast-iron pan.

Black chickpeas (more brown than black, really) are available in Indian markets. If you can't find them, use regular dried yellow chickpeas or even black beans.

1 tablespoon
Basic Ginger-Garlic Paste
or store-bought

1 cup dried black chickpeas (kaalae channae), sorted and washed in 3 to 4 changes of water

6 to 7 cups water

2 (1-inch) sticks cinnamon

4 black cardamom pods, crushed lightly to break the skin

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon salt, or to taste

1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 teaspoon melted ghee (optional)

1 (1-inch) piece peeled fresh ginger, cut into thin matchsticks

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 tablespoon ground coriander

¹
⁄
₄
teaspoon ground turmeric

1 large tomato, finely chopped

¹
⁄
₄
cup finely chopped fresh cilantro, including soft stems

1.
Prepare the ginger-garlic paste. Then, soak the chickpeas overnight in water to cover by 2 inches, then drain. Place the chickpeas, water, cinnamon, cardamom pods, ginger-garlic paste, and salt in a pressure cooker, secure the lid, cook over high heat until the regulator indicates high pressure, then cook 3 more minutes. Remove from the heat and allow the pressure to depressurize on its own, 15 to 20 minutes. Open the lid carefully and check the chickpeas; they should be soft and watery. If not, reseal the lid, bring back up to high pressure, and cook 1 more minute.

2.
Transfer to a large cast-iron wok (preferably) or skillet, mix in the tomato sauce and cook over high heat, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes, then over medium-low heat about 1 hour. In the end you should have at least 4 cups of soup. If needed, add more water and bring to a boil.

3.
Heat the oil and the ghee in a large nonstick wok or saucepan over medium-high heat and cook the ginger sticks, stirring frequently, until golden, about 1 minute. Add the cumin seeds; they should sizzle upon contact with the hot oil. Quickly add the coriander and turmeric, stir about 30 seconds, then mix in the chopped tomato and cilantro and cook until the tomatoes are slightly soft. Mix everything into the soup.

4.
Transfer the soup to a serving bowl, leaving the chickpeas in the pan. Remove about
¹
⁄
₂
cup of the chickpeas, coarsely mash them, and add them to the soup. Reserve the rest for another purpose. (Eat them as is, or toss into salads or over rice
pullaos
.)

Vegetable Soups

Goan Caldo-Verde Soup with Cauliflower

Goa ka Gobhi Soop