Fenugreek-Lentil Soup

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.
   

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