Lost Recipes of India, Episode 4.
Nargil Shorba, or Coconut Soup, has to be one of the most interesting finds in our quest to unravel the Lost Recipes of India. Said to have originated in the Gandhara empire of the Peshawar valley, this dish made it's way to India during the Mughal era, most likely under the Mughal Emperor Akbar.
This vegetarian recipe is a rather unusual occurrence in the Mughal cuisine - a cuisine that is known for its decadent, rich, hearty, and meaty dishes. Despite the absence of meat, the soup is very flavorful! The base is flavored with green chilies, ginger, white onions, carrots. The use of fresh coriander lends a beautiful greenish hue.
We made this recipe with coconut oil, which means that our version is not only vegetarian, it is also vegan! Not that we were shooting for a vegan version, we just wanted to use coconut oil since this is a coconut based soup. You can make this soup with ghee, or any neutral oil and you should still get the same result.
If you try this recipe, we guarantee it will be your new holiday favorite!
Ingredients:
The ingredients used in this recipe are:
White onions, chopped : 1/4 cup or 3 oz
Carrots, chopped : 1/4 cup or 3 oz
Green chilies, slit down the center : 2 -3 pcs
Ginger, chopped : 2 inch pc
Fresh coriander, chopped : 1 cup or 5 oz
Coconut Milk : 1 can or 14 oz
Salt to taste
Lime or lemon juice : 1 tbsp
Coconut oil : 2 tbsp
Water, 1.5 cups
Directions:
In a pot, add coconut oil. When it is hot, add green chilies and ginger.
Once the aromatics are cooked, add the onions and carrots. Cook slightly.
Don't lend color, when vegetables are slightly cooked, add 1.5 cup water.
When the carrots are almost cooked, add fresh coriander.
Buzz everything in a blender or vitamix. Strain to remove the fibers.
Discard fibers and transfer the strained liquid to a simmering pot.
Add coconut milk and whisk away from the flame to combine. Season with salt and lime juice.
Bring it to a boil and it is ready to plate.
Top off with a generous sprinkle of cracked black pepper! Your vegan, nutritious soup is ready to enjoy!
Notes:
You can use any other fat if you don't have coconut oil.
You can also use veg stock instead of water. But that usually has garlic, tomatoes, and celery and I didn't want the flavor profile to alter.
Tools used: (Affiliate links)
Ninja 400-Watt Food Processor: https://amzn.to/3pLJGnJ
Bamboo Cutting Board: https://amzn.to/2J0kJnm
Kitchen Utensils, with bamboo handles: https://amzn.to/37c0kV2
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