Quick Cream of Split Pea Soup with Sliced carrots
GAJAR MATAR DAL
-Recipe from Yamuna mataji
Here is an elegant, mildly seasoned dal soup that is good the whole
year round. The ingredients are easily obtained, and the texture is
light and pleasant. Yellow or green split peas are transformed into a
smooth, creamy soup, and sliced carrots lend color and nutrition
Dal soaking time: 5 hours
Preparation time (after assembling ingredients): 10 minutes
Cooking time: 1 ½ hours or 30 minutes in a pressure cooker
Serves: 6 to 8
1 cup (210 g) yellow or green split peas
7 ½ cups (1.75 liters) water (6 ¾ cups/1.5 liters if pressure cooked)
1 teaspoon (5 ml) scraped, minced fresh ginger root
1-2 hot green chilies
½ teaspoon (2 ml) turmeric
1 table spoon (15 ml) ground coriander
4 table spoons (60 ml) ghee or a mixture of vegetable oil and unsalted butter
4 medium-sized scrapped carrots, sliced
1 ¼ teaspoons (6 ml) salt
2 table spoons (30 ml) minced fresh parsley or coarsely chopped coriander
1 ¼ teaspoons (6 ml) cumin seeds
¼ - ½ teaspoon (1-2 ml) yellow asafetida powder (hing)
This amount applies only to yellow cobra brand. Reduce any other asafetida by three-fourths.
1. Soak the split peas in 3 cups (710 ml) of hot water for 5 hours, then drain.
2.
Combine the split peas, water, ginger root, green chilies,
turmeric, ground coriander and a dab of the ghee or oil-butter mixture
in a heavy 3-quart/liter nonstick saucepan. Bring to a boil over high
heat.
3. Reduce the heat to moderately low, cover
with a tight-fitting lid and boil gently for 1 hour. Add the carrots
cover and continue to cook for 30 minutes or until the split peas are
soft and fully cooked. For pressure cooking, combine the ingredients in
a 6-quart/liter pressure cooker, cover and cook for 30 minutes under
pressure. Remove from the heat and let the pressure drop by itself.
4. Off the heat, uncover and stir in the salt and herb.
5.
Heat the remaining ghee or oil-butter mixture in a small saucepan
over moderate to moderately high heat. When it is hot, toss in the
cumin seeds and fry until they turn brown. Sprinkle in the asafetida
and fry for just 1-2 more seconds, then quickly pour the fried
seasonings into the dal. Cover immediately and allow the chaunk to soak
into the dal fro 1-2 minutes. Stir and serve.