Serves: 4
Total Calories: 673

3 quarter-size slices peeled fresh ginger
1 (15 1/2-ounce) can garbanzo beans, , drained and rinsed
3 cups Spicy Chicken Broth or canned reduced-fat low-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup lowfat milk, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 to 2 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/4 to 1/2 cup whipped cream (optional)
1 tablespoon peanut oil
1 to 3 fresh green chili pepper, 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 chili 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.

From "1,000 Indian Recipes." Copyright 2002 by Neelam Batra. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Nutritional Facts:

Serves: 4
Total Calories: 673
Calories from Fat: 339

More Recipes from the 1000 Indian Recipes Cookbook:
* Soups
Cabbage Soup with Vegetables
Carrot-Ginger Soup
Cashew Corn Soup in Chicken Broth
Chicken Soup with Chayote Squash
Chicken Soup with Cream-Style Corn and Green Chili Peppers
Chicken Soup with Ginger and Coconut Milk
Chickpea Soup with Chicken Broth
Chilled Chickpea Soup
Chilled Potato Soup
Chilled Roasted Vegetable Soup
Chunky South Indian Tomato Soup
Classic South Indian Ginger Soup
Creamy Almond-Poppy Seed Soup
Creamy Tomato Soup
Curried Green Pea Soup
Fast Black Bean Soup, Indian Style
Fragrant Yogurt Soup
Goan Caldo-Verde Soup with Cauliflower
Goan Shrimp Soup
Mulligatawny Soup
Mysore Coconut Soup
Puréed Mushroom Soup with Yogurt
Puréed Pumpkin Soup
Puréed Spinach Soup
Quick Black Chickpea Soup with Cumin Seeds
Quick Lentil, Barley and Vegetable Soup
Quick Puréed Root Vegetable Soup
Quick Sindhi Split Pigeon Pea Soup with Tamarind
South Indian Buttermilk Soup
South Indian Lemon Soup with Mung Beans
South Indian Tamarind Soup
Spicy Chicken Broth
Spicy Lamb Broth
Spicy Shrimp with Coconut Milk and Tomato
Spicy South Indian Vegetable Soup with Tamarind
Spinach Yogurt Soup
Tomato Soup with Fresh Curry Leaves
Tomato Soup with Sautéed Vegetables
Tomato Soup with Yellow Mung Beans
Traditional South Indian Split Pigeon Pea Soup
Vegetable Soup with Yogurt and Coconut
Vegetarian Broth
Yellow Mung Beans and Spinach Soup with Sizzling Cumin Oil
Yogurt Soup with Flame-Roasted Eggplant