Pairs well with Pickled Lentil Soup (Punjabi Style)
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Pickled Lentil Soup (Punjabi Style)
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A traditional Punjabi pickled lentil soup made by boiling lentils briefly, removing seeds, drying in the sun, and mixing with a blend of spices and mustard oil. The pickle is sun-exposed for a few days and can be stored for up to a year. It is known for its health benefits including relief from joint pain, stomach ailments, and inflammation.
00:10:00 total
Serves 8
medium
Sides / Appetizer
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Ingredients
- lentils (rasuda) - 1 kilogram (washed thoroughly)
- water - watch the video to see (for boiling lentils)
- salt - 1/2 teaspoon (for boiling lentils)
- turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon (for boiling lentils)
- fennel seeds - about 3 teaspoons total (1.5 tsp ground + 1 tsp whole + extra for mixing) (ground and dried)
- methi (fenugreek seeds) - 1/2 teaspoon (ground and dried)
- black pepper - 1/2 teaspoon (ground and dried)
- cumin seeds - 1/2 teaspoon (ground and dried)
- yellow mustard seeds - 2 teaspoons (ground and dried)
- mustard oil - less than 1 cup (cold or slightly warmed before mixing)
- black salt - 1 teaspoon (for pickle seasoning)
- white salt - 2 teaspoons (for pickle seasoning)
- Kashmiri red chili powder - 1/2 teaspoon (for color and mild heat)
- red chili powder - about 1 teaspoon (adjust to taste)
- coriander powder - 1 teaspoon (ground)
- amchur powder (dry mango powder) - 1 teaspoon (for sourness)
- kalonji (nigella seeds) - 1 teaspoon (whole)
- vinegar - 2 tablespoons (to preserve pickle)
Instructions
- Prepare Lentils: Wash 1 kg of lentils thoroughly. Boil water with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder. When water boils, add lentils with caps and stems intact. Boil for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally to ensure even cooking without making lentils too soft.
- Cool and Clean Lentils: Remove lentils from boiling water and cool thoroughly. Make a small incision in the middle of each lentil to remove the seed (core) inside. This prevents spoilage and removes excess mucus.
- Dry Lentils: Spread the cleaned lentils out and expose them to sunlight for about 30 minutes to 2 hours depending on sun strength. Avoid over-drying; lentils should remain slightly soft.
- Prepare Spice Mix: Dry roast spices if not sun-dried: 1.5 tsp fennel, 1/2 tsp methi, 1/2 tsp black pepper, 1/2 tsp cumin, 2 tsp yellow mustard seeds. Grind these spices to a powder. Mix with whole spices: about 1 tsp kalonji, 1 tsp coriander powder, 1 tsp amchur powder, 1/2 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder, 1 tsp red chili powder, 2 tsp white salt, 1 tsp black salt.
- Mix Lentils with Spices and Oil: In an open container, combine the dried lentils with the ground and whole spices. Mix thoroughly to coat the lentils evenly. Add less than 1 cup of mustard oil (cold or slightly warmed and cooled) and mix well.
- Add Vinegar and Cure Pickle: Add 2 tablespoons of vinegar to the cooled pickle mixture and mix well. Transfer the pickle to a container and expose it to sunlight for 2 to 4 days to cure. After curing, store in a sealed container; the pickle can last 6 months to a year.
