Serves: 4
Total Calories: 59

1/4 cup dried split pigeon peas (toor dal), sorted and washed in 3 to 4 changes of water
3 tablespoons Tamarind Paste or store-bought
3 tablespoons Tamarind Paste (see recipe)
5 to 6 cups water
1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
1 fresh green chili pepper, such as serrano, minced with seeds
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1 large tomato, finely chopped
1/8 teaspoon ground asafoetida
2 teaspoons peanut oil or melted ghee
2 whole dried red chili peppers, such as chile de arbol
1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 tablespoon minced fresh curry leaves
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro, including soft stems

1. Soak the dal in 1 cup water until it absorbs the water and softens slightly, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the tamarind paste. Then, transfer the dal to a medium saucepan, add the ginger, green chili pepper, turmeric, salt and another cup of water, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, watching carefully and stirring, until the dal is very soft, about 30 minutes.

2. In another saucepan, mix together the tomatoes, tamarind, asafoetida, and the remaining water and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pan and simmer until the tomatoes are soft, about 5 minutes. Add the cooked dal mixture, adding more water if you prefer a thinner soup, and bring to a boil once again. Transfer to a serving bowl.

3. Heat the oil (or ghee) in a small saucepan over medium-high heat and add the red chili peppers and the mustard and cumin seeds they should splutter upon contact with the hot oil, so cover the pan until the spluttering subsides. Add the curry leaves and cilantro and stir 1 minute. Transfer to the soup. Mix well and 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: 59
Calories from Fat: 21

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