Read How to Cook Indian for Free Online Page B

tablespoon tamarind pulp
1 teaspoon coconut oil
½ teaspoon mustard seeds
8 to 10 fresh curry leaves
2 green chiles, stemmed and slit
6 pearl onions, peeled and blanched
1. Place a nonstick saucepan over high heat. Add 5 cups (1 liter) water and the salt and bring to a boil.
2. Put the peppercorns, fenugreek, cumin, coriander, garlic, and red chiles in a mortar and crush them with a pestle. Add the crushed spices and garlic to the boiling water in the pan and stir. Add the tamarind pulp, lower the heat to medium, cover, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.
3. Remove from the heat. Strain through a fine sieve and set aside.
4. Place a small nonstick sauté pan over high heat and add the coconut oil. When small bubbles appear at the bottom of the pan, add the mustard seeds and let them sputter. Add the curry leaves, green chiles, and onions, and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes. Add this to the prepared drink and cover immediately to trap the flavors.
5. Ladle into individual bowls and serve warm.

The idea of starting a meal with a soup to whet the appetite is not widely popular in traditional Indian homes, where meals are not served in courses. With the exception of the Anglo-Indian standby mulligatawny (page 56), soups—at least the brothy ones served in the West—are still uncommon here, and we have miles to go before we can boast of a huge repertoire.
There is not much historical documentation, but in this chapter I present some of the classic shorbas (soups) from the royal kitchens of yore. Take, for example, the chicken shorba (page 61) from northern India, a dish that will rejuvenate just like your own mother’s chicken soup did. One of my favorite soups is the paya shorba (page 63), made from lamb trotters. It is very soothing and warming in winter. The southern states offer thin, spicy rasam (page 59) that clear up the sinuses and a terrific soup called tomato saar (page 60), which is excellent on its own or ladled over rice.
There are plenty of vegetarian options here: The sabz makai kali mirch ka shorba (page 58) is like a garden in a bowl.

Anarkali Shorba
Lentil soup
This dish is named after a legendary and beautiful dancer from the court of the Mughal emperor Akbar. It can be prepared up to a day in advance and reheated gently before serving.
Serves 4.
1½ tablespoons butter, at room temperature
1½-inch (4-cm) piece fresh ginger, chopped
2 bay leaves
3 or 4 whole cloves
1-inch (2½-cm) cinnamon stick
1 green cardamom pod
1 medium onion, chopped
2 tablespoons toor dal/arhar dal (split pigeon peas)
¼ cup (50 grams) masoor dal (split red lentils)
2 tablespoons raw rice
1½ teaspoons table salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 bunch fresh cilantro with stems, chopped
1 bunch spinach leaves, finely chopped
1 cup (200 ml) fresh pomegranate juice
1 tablespoon crushed black peppercorns
Arils from half a medium pomegranate
1. Place a nonstick sauté pan over medium heat, add the butter, and let it melt. Add the ginger, bay leaves, cloves, cinnamon, and cardamom, and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes or until fragrant. Add the onion and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes or until the onion is light golden brown.
2. Add the dals and rice, and cook, stirring, for 1 to 2 minutes. Add 9 cups (1.8 liters) water and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes.
3. Add the salt, ground black pepper, cilantro, and spinach. Simmer gently for 10 minutes.
4. Pour into a sieve set over a bowl, transfer the liquid to a deep nonstick saucepan, and place over low heat.
5. Remove and discard the cinnamon stick. Transfer the remaining solids to a blender and blend until smooth. Add the purée to the liquid in the pan and stir well. Add the pomegranate juice and simmer gently for 10 minutes.
6. Ladle into individual soup bowls, garnish with the crushed peppercorns and pomegranate arils, and serve hot.
    Badam Shorba
Almond soup
This rich soup tastes best when it is freshly made. Blanching the almonds first softens them a little and makes