Serves: 4
Total Calories: 110

1 tablespoon peanut oil or melted ghee
2 to 3 whole dried red chili peppers, such as chile de arbol
1 tablespoon , dried yellow split garbanzo beans, (channa dal), sorted and washed in 3 to 4 changes of water
1 tablespoon coriander
1/2 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
1/2 teaspoon black peppercorn
1/8 teaspoon ground asafoetida
1/4 cup dried split pigeon peas (toor dal), sorted and washed in 3 to 4 changes of water
3 to 4 cups water
1 large tomato, coarsely chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro, including soft stems
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
5 to 6 fresh green curry leaves
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
3 to 4 scallion, green parts only, finely chopped

1. In a small saucepan, heat 2 teaspoons oil (or ghee) over medium heat, add the whole red chili peppers and stir until golden, about 30 seconds, then add the channa dal, coriander, fenugreek, peppercorns, and asafoetida, and cook, stirring, until the channa dal is golden, about 1 minute. Let cool, then transfer to a blender and blend, adding about 1/4 cup water to make a smooth paste.

2. In a medium saucepan, add toor dal, 3 cups water, tomato, and salt. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pan, and simmer until the toor dal is soft, about 30 minutes. Mix in the cilantro and the spice paste and simmer until another 5 minutes to blend the flavors.

3. In a small saucepan, heat the remaining 1 teaspoon of the ghee over medium heat and add the mustard and cumin seeds and the curry leaves they should splutter upon contact with the hot oil, so cover the pan and reduce the heat until the spluttering subsides. Add the spiced oil to the soup. Then add the buttermilk and scallions and stir well to mix. Serve.

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: 110
Calories from Fat: 39

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