Fenugreek-Lentil Soup

Fenugreek-Lentil Soup is a great way to make the slightly bitter fenugreek leaves (methi), a lot more tasty. In this easy vegetarian/vegan recipe, the leaves are combined with yellow lentils (chana dal) and a little plain yogurt which make this soup creamy and yummy.

Servings: 3-5
Cooking Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 cups fenugreek leaves (methi), rinsed and chopped
• 3/4 cup chana dal (yellow lentils)
• 3/4 cup onions, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp plain yogurt
• Turmeric powder, a pinch
• Salt to Taste
• 8-10 yogurt chillies (dahi mirchi/chillies soaked in buttermilk and sun-dried; available in Indian grocery stores)
• 2 tsp vegetable oil

For Masala

• 1/4 cup coconut, freshly grated
• 1 1/2 tsp poppy seeds

For Seasoning

• 1 tsp vegetable oil
• Asafoetida powder, a pinch
• 1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)

Preparation

1. Cook the chana dal and methi in the pressure cooker with 1 1/4 cups water and some turmeric powder for 3 whistles (10 minutes).
2. In a small pan, roast the poppy seeds for a minute and remove. In the same pan heat a few tbsp vegetable oil for deep-frying the dahi-mirchi. Fry the mirchi until almost black and remove in a bowl.
3. In a blender, grind the poppy seeds and coconut with a little water into a smooth paste and set aside.
4. Heat oil in a medium saucepan, and saute the onions with a little salt until translucent.
5. Mash the cooked dal, and add along with the masala paste, and salt, and let it come to a boil on medium heat.
6. Heat a tsp oil in a small pan, and add the asafoetida powder and cumin seeds and fry until the seeds are golden, and pour over the fenugreek-lentil soup.
7. Cook the dal for a minute on low heat and stir in the yogurt and cook for a few seconds on low heat. Add the dahi-mirchi, and remove from heat.
8. Serve the fenugreek-lentil soup with plain rice and ghee (clarified butter). Make sure each serving has a few dahi-mirchi, as they contribute some heat to the otherwise creamy but bland soup.

Cooking Tip

Poppy seeds are hard to grind; roasting makes it easier. Also, powder the poppy seeds first, and then add the coconut and water for grinding.
You can also soak the poppy seeds for 30 minutes before grinding.

If you don’t want to use the dahi-mirchi, add 3-4 red chillies (broken into pieces) to the seasoning. You can spice it up further by adding 1/2 tsp garam masala powder or sambar powder to the seasoning or to the masala paste.

Category: Dals and Soups - Members, Vegan Dals and Soups - Members