Author Notes
This yogurt-based soup is great for winters. Enjoy it with steamed rice or Khichaari, or you may just want to have it all by itself. —Devangi Raval
Test Kitchen Notes
I feel like every culture has their version of a comforting soup or broth, and this simple soup reminded me of just that -- warm and slightly creamy, with all the familiar Indian flavors and spices we love. I didn’t think it was necessary to blend the yogurt-water mixture, as I was able to get a completely smooth consistency using a whisk. From start to finish the soup only took about 20 minutes to make. It was very well balanced -- slightly sweet and tangy, as PistachioDoughnut suggests. It was also pretty with the red chilies and fresh curry leaves floating in the yogurt broth. I did not try it with rice, but that would definitely make it a more complete dish. —jvcooks
Ingredients
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1/2 cup
plain yogurt
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3 tablespoons
chickpea flour
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1 teaspoon
chilli paste
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1 teaspoon
ginger paste
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2 teaspoons
sugar (or slightly more)
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Salt, to taste
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1 1/2 tablespoons
ghee or canola oil
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1/2 teaspoon
cumin seeds
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1/2 teaspoon
mustard seeds
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1/2 teaspoon
fenugreek seeds
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4 to 5
curry leaves
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2
cloves
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2 to 3
whole black peppercorns
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Pinch of asafoetida
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2
whole red dried chillies
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2 teaspoons
lemon juice
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Chopped cilantro, for garnish
Directions
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Take plain yogurt and mix it with the chickpea flour with the help of a spoon. Add the ginger and chili pastes, plus about 2 cups of water, and mix everything together in a blender. Set aside.
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Heat some ghee or oil in a deep pot. As the ghee becomes hot, add the mustard seeds. Wait few seconds; the moment they start spluttering, add cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, dried chilies, curry leaves, cloves, peppercorns, and asafoetida and quickly give it a stir. Immediately add the yogurt-water mixture to the pot. Stir everything well. Add sugar and salt to taste.
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Let it simmer and then come to boil over a low flame for about 5 to 10 minutes. Gradually, it will start to thicken. Chickpea flour has a tendency to thicken anything. Once it reaches a soupy consistency -- not too thick nor too thin -- remove it from the flame.
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Stir in the lemon juice and garnish it with cilantro. Serve it hot with rice or just as it is. Once it cools, it will thicken more. You can always adjust the seasoning or add a little bit of water to thin it out.
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This soup is supposed to be slightly sweet and tangy. If you wish, you can remove the cloves, curry leaves, peppercorns, and red chilies before serving.
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