Split-Pulse Soup
एवं भक्तं सुपक्वं यद्राजयोग्यं तदुत्तमम् । राजमुद्गास्तथा पीता निष्पावाश्चणका अपि ॥ ५७ ॥ कृष्णाढक्यस्तथा माषा मसूरा राजमाषकाः । सूपकर्मणि सप्तैते नियोज्याः सूपकारकैः ॥ ५८ ॥ दलिताऽदलिताश्चैते पचनीया यथारुचि । चणका राजमाषाश्च मसूरा राजमुद्गकाः ॥ ५९ ॥ घरट्टैर्दलिताः कार्याः पाकार्थं हि विचक्षणैः । किंचिद्दष्टास्तथाढक्यो यन्त्रावर्तैर्द्विधाकृताः ॥ १३६० ॥ विदली च कृताः सम्यक् शूर्पकैर्वितुषीकृताः । स्थाल्यां शीतोदकं क्षिप्त्वा विदलैः सममानतः ॥ ६१ ॥ आवपेद्विदलान्पश्चाच्चुल्यामारोपयेत्ततः । मृद्वग्निपच्यमानेऽन्तर्हिङ्गुतोयं विनिक्षिपेत् ॥ ६२ ॥ वर्णार्थं रंजनीचूर्णमीषत्तत्र नियोजयेत् । मुहुर्मुहुःक्षिपेत्तोयं यावत्पाकस्य पूर्णता ॥ ६३ ॥ सुश्लक्ष्णं सैन्धवं कृत्वा विंशत्यंशेन निक्षिपेत् । वर्णतः स्वादतो गन्धान्मार्दवाल्लाघवादपि ॥ ६४ ॥ एवं विदलपाकस्य सम्यक्सिद्धिरुदाहृता । निष्पावा मेचकाढक्यो हिङ्गुना परिवर्जिताः ॥ ६५ ॥ अभिन्नाः पूर्ववत् पाच्या हरिद्राचूर्णकं विना । मसूरमाषपाकेषु हिङ्गुतोयं विनिक्षिपेत् ॥ ६६ ॥
Royal mung, and likewise pītā, lablab beans, and chickpeas too; black pigeon pea, and black gram, lentils, cowpeas: these seven are to be employed by soup-cooks in the making of soup. These are to be cooked split or unsplit, according to taste. Chickpeas, cowpeas, lentils, and royal mung are to be made split with querns by the discerning, for the sake of cooking; and the pigeon peas, bruised a little, are made twofold by the turnings of the mill. And when they have been properly made into split halves, they are freed of husk with winnowing-baskets. Having put cold water into the pot, equal in measure to the split pulse, he should strew the pulse in, and then set it on the stove. While it is cooking on a gentle fire he should throw asafoetida-water into it. For the sake of colour he should employ a little turmeric powder in it. Again and again he should add water, until the cooking is complete. Making rock-salt very fine, he should put it in at a twentieth part. By colour, by taste, by aroma, by softness, and by lightness too — thus is declared the proper perfection of the cooking of split pulse. Lablab beans and dark pigeon peas, kept free of asafoetida and unsplit, are to be cooked as before, without turmeric powder. In the cooking of lentils and black gram he should throw in asafoetida-water.
Ingredients
- 250 g split mung, red lentils, split chickpeas, or urad dal
- 900 ml water, plus more as needed
- ¼ tsp asafoetida
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- 2 tsp fine rock salt, plus more to taste
Method
- Rinse the pulse until the water runs mostly clear.
- Combine the pulse, water, asafoetida, and turmeric in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a very gentle simmer.
- Cook partly covered until soft, adding small amounts of hot water whenever the mixture becomes too thick: about 20 minutes for red lentils, 30–40 minutes for split mung, or 45–60 minutes for split chickpeas.
- Stir in the salt, and serve.