Sweet and Sour Lentil Soup (Gluten-free)
The recipe for this lentil soup is inspired by the pappu charu made by my mother’s family. Pappu charu is the Andhra equivalent of sambar (lentil stew) sans the vegetables. Every household has its own version. For mine, I puréed and strained the cooked lentils and served them as soup.
The soup is mildly spiced, sweet and tangy. It gets its distinct fruity tang from a tamarind broth flavored with whole spices and aromatics. Jaggery adds a touch of sweetness and helps balance out the sourness of the tamarind. This delicious golden soup has all the soul-satisfying comfort one needs to lift their spirits on a gloomy and overcast day.
The soup is best served with a side of steamed rice or some crusty sourdough bread. It freezes well. You can double the batch and freeze half for later (just use an immersion blender to puree it once more when you defrost the soup).
Recipe
Sweet and Sour Lentil Soup
(Makes 4 servings)
Ingredients
1 cup pigeon peas (toor dal), rinsed and soaked in 4 cups of water for an hour
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
4 cups water, divided
2 tsp ghee or oil
2” piece cinnamon stick,
4 green cardamom pods, lightly pounded
4 cloves
1 tsp fenugreek seeds (methi)
6-8 fresh curry leaves
Pinch of asafetida
1/3 cup or 1 medium red onion, finely sliced
1-3 green chillies, slit lengthwise (1 if they are fiery, 3 if they are mild)
1 heaped tsp ginger-garlic paste
Salt to taste
1/2 cup tamarind extract (see note below) or tamarind paste to taste
2 tbsp powdered jaggery (or to taste)
2 tbsp chopped cilantro, to garnish
Method
Rinse and drain the soaked pigeon peas. Transfer them to an electric or stovetop pressure cooker along with the turmeric powder, a teaspoon of salt and 3 cups of water. Pressure cook for 20-25 minutes or until the lentils are cooked through. Once cool, use an immersion blender to blend the cooked lentils until smooth. Leave them in the pressure cooker for later.
In a heavy-based pan, melt the ghee over a medium-low flame. Add the cinnamon, cardamom and cloves and fry until they turn aromatic.
Add the fenugreek seeds and fry until they start to change color. Add the curry leaves and asafetida. Stir for 30 seconds, then add the sliced onion and slit green chillies. Saute until the onion turns translucent. Add the ginger-garlic paste and stir until the raw smell disappears. Add a splash of water if the paste starts to catch at the bottom of the pan and continue stirring..
Add half a teaspoon of salt and the tamarind extract or paste (along with the hot water - see note below). Stir well to mix. Turn the heat up to medium and let the mixture come to a rolling boil. Continue to boil for about 5 minutes. The tamarind broth will start to reduce and thicken a bit.
Add the tamarind broth into the puréed lentils and mix well. Use a little water to dissolve any remaining broth left in the pan and add it to the lentils as well. Bring the soup to a boil. Add jaggery to taste, then lower the heat and simmer for 6-8 minutes. Add more water if you prefer the soup thinner. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed (I added a bit more salt). If you need to add more tamarind and/jaggery, do so now. The soup should be tangy and sweet with an undertone of spice and a hum of chilli. The balance of flavors can be customized to suit your personal preference.
Once you are happy with the flavors, turn off the heat. Use a fine mesh strainer to strain the soup. Discard the onion, chillies and spices. Return to the cooker. At this point, you can blend the soup once more for an extra silken consistency. Reheat it to serving temperature.
If serving with rice, place 1/4 cup of steamed rice to each bowl. Ladle the soup over it. Top with some chopped cilantro and a small spoonful of ghee and enjoy.
Note: I use 1/4 cup of dried tamarind rehydrated in 1 cup of hot water. I just poured the hot water over the dried tamarind and let it soak for 10 minutes. I then squeezed out all the pulp, strained it and was left with about 1/2 cup of tamarind extract. If you use store-bought tamarind paste, adjust the quantity depending upon how sour/concentrated it is. You will need to let your tastebuds be your guide. Add half a cup of hot water along with the paste.
