SOUP
Drumstick Leaf Soup
Drumstick leaves, de-stemmed 1 bunch (I cup of leaves)
Butter 2 tbsps
Tomatoes (chopped) 3/4 cup
Refined flour (maida) 1 tbsp
Water 4 cups
Milk or coconut milk 1 cup
Tomato sauce 2 tbsps
Salt and pepper to taste
Wash the leaves and chop. Keep a few leaves aside for garnishing. Cook the chopped leaves with tomatoes in four cups of water till the leaves are tender. Put mixture through a sieve. Prepare white sauce as follows: melt butter, add the flour and stir for a few minutes without browning. Add milk gradually and cook till it forms a thin sauce. Add this to the puree and then the salt and pepper. Add the leaves kept aside and simmer for five minutes. Add tomato sauce and serve hot.
Drumstick Soup
Drumsticks - 3 (cut into big pieces)
Green gram dhal - 1 1/2 tbsps.
Tomato - 1 small
Coarsely crushed cumin and pepper - 1 tsp.
1 tsp. Asofoetida
Salt and sugar to taste
For white sauce:
Milk - 1/2 cup
Corn flour - 1 tbsp.
Steam drumsticks in pressure cooker. Scoop out the pulp. Chop tomatoes finely. Pressure cook dhal with tomato. Tie cumin and pepper in a muslin bag and put it in the dhal while cooking. Cool the mixture and discard the spice bag. Blend it with drumstick pulp in mixer. Strain or pass through a sieve and dilute with water. Make white sauce with corn flour and milk and cool it down. Mix it with cold soup, dilute with water and then reheat the soup with salt and sugar to taste. Serve hot.
Ginger Soup
4 inches fresh Ginger
1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
A pinch Turmeric powder
2 tbsp Butter or Ghee
2 cups of Milk
4-5 cups Water
Black Pepper to taste
Salt to taste
Finely grind the ginger and make a fine paste by adding a little water. Heat ghee and fry the cumin seeds, then add ginger paste and fry till golden brow. Add turmeric powder, salt and water and bring to boil. When it is boiling, add milk and let it boil again for 4-5 minutess. Keep checking so the soup doesn't boil over. Remove from heat and add black pepper just before serving.
Green Tofu Soup
1 cup Spinach (chopped)
1/2 Cup Pinto Beans
1 packet Tofu
1 tsp grated Ginger
2 Green Chilli
Salt to taste
1 tsp asofoetida
1 tsp oil
1 tsp Cumin seeds
Cut tofu into medium size cubes. Heat oil in a pan and fry cumin seeds. Add Chopped ginger and saute. Add spinach, chilly and pinto beans to it and saute for a while. Let it cool for a while, then grind until a coarse paste. Pour the paste into the pan and add water to it. Now add the tofu pieces and allow it to cook. When the soup starts thicken, remove it from the heat.
Lentil Soup
1-cup lentil dal
1 med. Tomato (pulp)
1 tab sp. Ghee
1/2 t sp. Chilli powder
1/8 t sp. Turmeric powder
1 tsp. Cumin seeds
Salt to taste
1/4 t sp. Sugar
1 tsp. asafoetida
2 t sp. Lemon juice
2-3 cup water
Pressure cook lentil dal. Mash it properly and set aside. Cut tomato into pieces and grind in mixer till crushed properly. Put ghee in a pan and heat. Put asafoetida, salt and cumin in ghee and let it splutter. Let ghee cool down for a while. Now put red chili powder, turmeric powder, and crushed tomato in and stir. Cover the pan with lid and turn the burner to medium for 2-3 min. Add lentil dal and 2-3 cup of water, along with sugar and lemon juice. Stir, and garnish with coriander
Nepali Vegetable Thukpa
1 lb. Tibetan noodles (substitute with pasta)
3 cups assorted vegetables
½ lb. Spinach, washed and cut into pieces
1 tablespoon ginger, minced
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon cumin powder
½ teaspoon jwanu (lovage seeds)
3 fresh chilies, julienned
1 bay leaf
1 cup tomatoes
½ cup yogurt
2 tablespoon soy sauce
2 cups vegetable broth
2 tablespoons mustard oil
2 teaspoons asofoetida
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro for garnish
Cook noodles in boiling salted water until slightly undercooked. Drain and rinse. In a sauce pan heat two tablespoons of mustard oil. Add turmeric, ginger, cumin powder, asofoetida and chilies. Stir well for a minute or so. Put the assorted vegetables and stir-fry well, about five minutes. To the vegetable mixture add tomatoes, soy sauce, yogurt, broth, jwanu, bay leaf, salt and pepper and cook until vegetables are tender. Add the noodles and stew for five more minutes or until nice consistency of the sauce is attained. Lastly, add spinach and fold into the stewed noodles for a minute or so until wilted. Garnish with chopped cilantro.
Rangeela (Red Pumpkin) Soup
1 cup Red Pumpkin
1 Small Potato
1Tbsp Butter
1 Cup Milk
A pinch Ground nutmeg (Optional)
1 tsp Asofoetida
Black Pepper (Freshly ground)
Salt to taste
Wash, remove the seeds and skin from the Pumpkin, and chop into small cubes. Wash the potato and cook it separately with the pumpkin cubes in a pressure cooker. Remove the skin of the cooked potato and chop it into cubes. Heat ghee in a pan and add the cooked pumpkin and potato cubes, fry for a few minutes. Turn off the flame and remove all the fried mixture from the pan and put it in a blender and grind to a fine paste. Turn on the flame and heat pan and add ground paste to the pan, add some water, salt, pepper. Bring it to boil, then add cold milk and allow it to boil for 5 minutes on low flame. Turn off the heat. Serve hot in a bowl, garnish with finely chopped green salad or bread crumbs
Tamil Vaththalkozhambu (Indian Hot & Sour Soup)
3/4 tsp Tamarind concentrate
1 tsp Salt
4 tsp Red Chilli Powder
1 tsp Rice powder (fine)
4 tsp Ghee
1/2 tsp Mustard
1/2 tsp Vendhayam (Fenugreek)
1 pinch Asafoetida powder
1 tsp Chana Daal
A few Curry leaves (fresh or dried)
10 Whole Peanuts
3 tsp Manath-than-gaLik-kaai and/or Sun-daik-kaai (see below)
Dissolve tamarind concentrate paste in 1.5 cups of water. Filter the juice to remove any dregs. Keep it away for now. Add 1 teaspoon of rice powder to 1 cups of water and blend, then set aside. Heat ghee and fry, in this order, the: Mustard, Chana Daal, Vendhayam (Fenugreek), and Peanuts. If available, add Sundaikkai and/or ManaththangaLikkai vaththal. Wait till the Daal gets brown (or Mustard starts cracking), then turn stove to low heat. Add the Tamarind juice and then the Chilli powder. Add Asafoetida, cover pan and let it boil for 4-5 minutes. Add rice water, salt and then curry leaves. Mix evenly and let it simmer till it thickens to the consistency of a thick soup - about 3-5 minutes. Put the stove on medium heat or so that the water will evaporate from the mix and cause it to thicken. Be careful not to burn.
The ManaththangaLikkai/Subdaikkai may or may not be available at your local Indian grocery. These are wild berries with a bitter, salty taste. Sundaikkai is crabapple size and ManaththangaLikkai is peppercorn size. Dried, salted, and later roasted, these Berries provide a unique bitter/salty taste somewhat like anchovies.
Tibetan Barley Soup
2 tablespoons Butter
1 to 2 cups Vegetables (any will do)
1/4 cup Pot Barley
4 cups water
1 tablespoon Shoyu (soy sauce)
Black pepper to taste
Melt 2 tablespoons butter and stir in vegetables until they are well coated. Continue cooking over medium heat until softened, stirring occasionally. Mix in 1/4 cup pot barley and then add 4 cups water. Bring rapidly to a boil, then simmer about an hour, covered. Just before it is done, add 1 tablespoon shoyu and a grind or so of pepper. When the soup is ready, it should be of a chowder-like thickness and the grains should be soft but chewy. There will be a golden sheen on the surface and the heavenly smell will waft across the Himalayas.
Tibetan Noodle Stew
2 cups thin pasta
1 Tbs. ghee
1 Tbs. minced fresh ginger
2 tomatoes, cut into 1/4 inch dice
4 cups Vegetable Stock
1-1/2 Tsp. Asofoetida
3-4 Tbs. tamari or soy sauce
2 tsp. hot paprika, or to taste
4 cups stemmed spinach leaves
Cook the pasta in 4 quarts of boiling water until al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain in a colander, rinse with cold water until cool, and drain again. Heat oil in a wok or large saucepan, preferably nonstick. Add the ginger and cook over medium heat until nicely browned. Stir in the tomatoes and cook for about 2 minutes. Stir in the stock, tamari or soy sauce, and paprika and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer the stew until richly flavored. Stir in the pasta and simmer for 2 minutes. Stir in the spinach leaves and cook until wilted, about 1 minute. Correct the seasoning, adding tamari or paprika to taste.
Tibetan Potato Soup
1/4 c Butter
1 tb Minced ginger root
1/2 tsp Turmeric
1/2 tsp Chili powder
1/2 tsp Kopan Masala (see recipe above)
3 c Mashed potato
4 c Water
1 c Diced Tofu
1 c Spinach leaves, chopped
1 1/2 tsp Lemon juice
1 tb Soy sauce
2 ts Salt
1/2 ts Black pepper
2 tb chopped cilantro
Melt butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Add ginger and stir-fry over medium to medium-high heat for 1/2 to 1 minute. Add turmeric, chili powder and masala. Stir-fry 1/2 minute longer. Add potato and mix. Cook and stir 3 minutes. Add water 1 cup at a time, stirring constantly with wire whisk to prevent lumps from forming. Stir until mixture is smooth. Add tofu and spinach. Mix well and bring to boil. Add lemon juice, soy sauce, salt and pepper. Simmer 5 minutes. If soup is too thick, add water. Add cilantro and mix well. makes about 8 cups.
Tibetan Then Thuk Noodle Soup
1 small piece of Ginger
1 teaspoon of Salt
1 small piece of Mouli Spinach (frozen or fresh)
1 tablespoon of soya sauce
1 teaspoon Asofoetida
2oz Plain Flour
1 table spoon of Oil
Knead the plain flour into a dough using only cold water. Cover and leave for a while. Meanwhile, peel the mouli, cut it in half and slice thinly. Wash fresh spinach leaves and chop into large chunks. If frozen spinach is used defrost thoroughly. The amount used depends on presonal taste. Chop the ginger and slice thinly. Fry the ginger in a deep sauce pan. Add the soya sauce. Stir well. Add two pints of cold water and the sliced mouli. While the water is boiling, take the dough and roll it thinly into a large chapati-like shape. Cut the dough into long strips 2 inches wide. Take the strips and tear them into small pieces. Throw the pieces straight into the boiling water. Cook for 5 minutes. Lastly, add the spinach and season to taste. Simmer for a few minutes. Serve hot.
Tibetan Tukpa Noodle Soup
1/4 C. butter
1 1/2 Tbsp. fresh ginger root, minced
1 tsp. turmeric
1 tsp. curry powder
1 tsp. chili powder
1 c. potato, parboiled and cubed
1 c. fresh tomatoes, chopped
4-5 c. water
1/4 lb. fresh flat rice noodles (or wheat linguine)
1/2 c. fresh spinach, chopped
1-2 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1 tsp. Kopan Masala (from Kopan Monastery) made from the following:
1/3 c. coriander seeds
1/4 c. cumin seeds
10 black cardamom pods, peeled
15 pale green cardamom pods, peeled
25 cloves
2 cinnamon sticks, broken up
1 tsp. black peppercorns
1/4 tsp. fresh nutmeg, ground
Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add ginger and stir-fry over medium to medium-high heat for l minute. Add turmeric, curry powder, chili powder, and masala. Mix well and stir fry for 1/2 a minute. Add potatoes and tomatoes. Stir-fry 1 more minute. Add water and bring to a boil. Add noodles and boil for 5 minutes. Stir occasionally. Add spinach and boil for another 1-2 minutes. If soup is too thick, add more water. Season with soy sauce. Salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat and serve hot.
Vegetarian Mulligatawny Soup
1 to 2 cups Chickpeas
2 tablespoons Ghee
1 each Red chili -- whole
1 pinch Cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon Turmeric
1 tablespoon Coriander
4 cups Vegetable Stock
Salt to taste
1 Carrot -- chopped
1 lg Potato -- cubed
1 Green bell pepper -- chopped
1 Tomato -- chopped
1/2 cup Grated coconut
1 cup Coconut milk
2 tablespoons Lemon juice
1-1/2 teaspoon Asofoetida
2 teaspoons Cilantro/parsley
Soak, rinse and cook chick peas. Cook for 45-60 minutes till soft, depending on age of the peas. (If using canned chickpeas, no cooking required.) In a soup pot, fry the chili, cayenne, turmeric and coriander. Saute for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring. Add the stock and the vegetables. Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. Add the coconut, coconut milk, and chick peas and cook for another 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool for a few minutes. Blend well. Return to pot & add lemon juice & cilantro. The longer this soup sits, the better its flavour. Re-heat gently and offer.
