Wednesday 4 May 2011

Soup du Jour: Tomato Coriander Ginger

So, the paneer has set in the fridge overnight, and is looking just darling - well, as darling as a moist lump of spiced curd can look, I suppose.



As you can see, I've used the cheap-ass American saffron which looks more like flower petals than stigma or stamen. But, I assure you, it is a pretty damn good substitute for the budget conscious gourmand. Compare $15 for a pinch of the good stuff to $3 for an entire bag of the  American. Unless your palate is pretty highly developed and sensitive, I wouldn't really bother with the fancy crap.

What to do with it now. Well, you can slap off a chunk and chew it, or you can be a little more creative. I find that even with the spices paneer is pretty fucking boring on its own. Who the fuck just sits down and eats cheese anyhow?  (Er, this guy, but that's beside the point)

I'm gonna fry mine up and dump soup on it. And not just any old soup, Vij's tomato, coriander, and ginger soup - or at least my bastardized version of it. I have Vij's Elegant & Inspired Indian Cuisine cookbook amongst my collection, but I do not follow the recipes very well.
I don't follow recipes very well at all - nor do I try. Adhering strictly to written guidelines, particularly in cuisine, destroys the creative process and fucks up the food. Recipes are just ideas.

Anyhow, back to Vij's soup. If you don't know who Vikram Vij is or what Vij's is you should find out. Vij's is generally considered to be the best Indian food outside of India. the restaurant website
There, you found out.
You can buy the cook books here:

Here's my version of their delicious soup:

Heat up a large saucepan and throw in some veg oil - just enough to coat the bottom of the pan. Vij's recipe calls for something like 1/3 of a cup of veg oil, but I use much less - more like 4-5 tablespoons. The next step will seem like it's out of order to those unfamiliar with Indian cooking techniques, but I assure you I'm not bullshitting you.

Add cumin to the oil making sure that the oil is hot. How do you know if  it's hot enough? You'll know by lookin' with experience, but it's easy enough to just throw in a single cumin seed. If it doesn't sizzle, your shit ain't hot enough.

Yup, cumin goes in first. This is a very common Indian technique - it seems fucked up, but it works.

In with the cumin goes your curry leaves. Only put them in at this point if you are working with fresh curry leaves as dried will simply burn and taste bitter as fuck and look like shit (trust me, I learned this lesson). As a side note, if anyone knows where the fuck I can find fresh curry leaves in Vancouver I'll gladly trade a beer for the knowledge (it'll even be a good beer if you actually bring me the leaves).

A note on the use of curry leaves in this soup: Vij alternates curry leaves with coriander dependent upon the season - curry in the winter, coriander in the summer. I like to use both no matter the season. I like the way the flavours work together year 'round.

Ooh, another note: I use "coriander" interchangeably with "cilantro" when referring to the herb and use "coriander seed" when referring to the spice.

"Hey, jerkoff! Back to the cooking already!"

Right, sorry.

Now you're going to want to add your ginger, about two tablespoons should do it, but put in however much you like. You can substitute garlic for the ginger, or use both. It's up to you. I use both in equal quantities.
A good rule of thumb for cooking garlic is actually a rule of nose. When you can smell it, it's done. Overcooked garlic is fucking gross.
If you're using dried curry leaves, put 'em in when you smell the garlicorgingerorboth.

Oh, you'll wanna have a big can of pureed tomatoes on hand. In the summer you can use fresh tomatoes, but as it is pretty much impossible to get good fresh local tomatoes in the winter in Canada, canned is your best bet. Don't shy away from canned tomatoes. A lot of canned fruit and veg are pretty fucking sick, but tomatoes are not at all. They are canned when they are at their ripest - right off the vine - and so are very tasty. The California tomatoes you see in the supermarkets in the winter are grown in warehouses and ripened in trucks. Nothing about that  sentence sounds like it ought to involve food.

You'll also want to have at least 3 cups of veg stock warming on the stove. You can use chicken stock if you like, but please use free range organic - it's nicer for the chickens.
As for veg stock, you can buy it, but that's dumb. It's pretty expensive and you can make it for nothing. I'll post a simple recipe soon. It's easier than shitting your pants.

"Was there a recipe happening around here somewhere?"

Right.

When you smell the smellies add your dry spices - coriander seed, about a tablespoon, cayenne, about a teaspoon - and let 'em cook for a couple of minutes.

I like to grind my own spices mortar and pestle style. I only buy coriander seed whole - the flavour is just better than the pre-ground junk. Grind the coriander seed with the cayenne in the mortar and pestle with a pinch of salt to combine the flavours. If you're looking to grind your own cayenne, it's usually found in the grocery store whole as bird eye peppers. A mortar and pestle setup is pretty cheap and is ultimately invaluable. Electric spice grinders are quick and easy - and necessary for some harder seeds, like fenugreek - but the heat and friction from the fast moving blade vapourizes many of the natural oils in herbs and spices, diminishing the flavour. You'll never have better pesto than one made by hand with a mortar and pestle.


"Is this a fucking soapbox lecture or a recipe?"

Sorry.

Stir in the pureed tomatoes and the stock. Vij's recipe calls for 6 cups water or 3 cups stock 3 cups water. I originally made this soup to use as a dip for some prawntons, so I intentionally left out half of the liquid to have a thicker broth.
I can't imagine it any other way. Vij also notes that one may add heavy cream for a richer soup. Personally, I don't much care for cream soups unless they're made with coconut milk. I love that shit.*

Anyhow, you've got your liquid in the pot so you're laughing. Bring it to a boil and then lower it to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes. Finish it with chopped cilantro right before serving.

Now would be a great time to pull that paneer out of the frying pan.
You didn't have your paneer frying?
Well that was fucking stupid.
Fortunately, it's just soup, so it can sit for a while whilst you get your act together.
Fry your paneer at hot medium - that's just above halfway on my stove - until dark brown. Both sides.


Remove it from the pan and cube it. Place it in a fancy bowl, or a fucking paper cup - I don't care.
Take your lovely tomato soup and ladle it over the paneer.



Eat it.

Smile.






* I have since made this recipe with more liquid - one cup stock, one cup coconut milk - and it was lovely.





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