In India Yogurt is known as Curd. This has always confused me whenever I wanted to buy yogurt since the curd was way more liquid then what I was used to in Europe. Fresh Yogurt is a necessity in Europe. We don’t use it to cook up savory dishes, no we use yogurt in Europe as a dessert or for breakfast or even in cakes. Of course North Indian states cook a lot with Curd and I discovered my love for spiced yogurt dishes such as Chicken Tikka and I also started to incorporate these flavor characteristic in fusion style dishes such as the Lemon Pasta Sauce.
The other day while flipping through a friend’s cookbook, which I has gifted her a few years back, I came across an Indian style spiced yogurt soup. Soups are absolutely not Indian, in fact I can’t remember ever having tried a traditional soup in a friend’s house or eating establishment, so this spiced yogurt soup was looking very intriguing.
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Days and nights passed and I had forgotten about this soup until one night I was without electricity. Once again I had to adjust because I was hungry and my husband was making an irritated face which means we needed something to make the no light situation sweeter. A bag of Curd, a few spices and a few chilies later and I had a husband gobbling up peacefully his soup in the dark.
I have made a few versions of this refreshing soup since then. In fact I came to the conclusion that I preferred it cold on hot days and as you know we are melting in the sun right now. I do still cook the soup for a short time before blending it smooth and placing it into the fridge before I attack it with some garlic bread. Of course you can always cook it and eat it hot, because that’s what the original recipe mentioned anyway, but I like the curd flavors cold with the tickling chili sensation on my tongue.
Oh and pray that the cooler temperatures are coming back to Goa, because I want to cook and bake again in peace!! I have a few recipes for you, including pain au chocolate, fruit bread and other goodies but it’s just unhealthy hot and we ought to take care to not get sick in those temperatures. Another week and I should be back with the usual posting habits here and just a heads up,… a cookie week is coming up as well. =D
- 400 milliliter natural thick beaten Yogurt
- 100 milliliter fresh Cream
- 2 Tablespoon Oil
- 1 Tablespoon ginger Garlic Paste
- 1 flat Teaspoon Turmeric Powder
- ½ - 1 Teaspoon red Chili Powder
- 1 flat Teaspoon Cumin Powder
- 1-3 fresh green Chilies (use according to your heat preferences)
- 4 fresh medium sized Curry leafs
- Salt according to your taste preferences
- Pepper according to your taste preferences
- 1 Tablespoon chopped Coriander to garnish
- In a bowl combine the Yoghurt and Cream.
- Heat up a pan add the oil and stir fry the ginger garlic paste for a minute. Quickly add the turmeric powder, red chili powder and cumin powder. Stir fry for another minute on low heat.
- Pour in the yogurt and cream and mix the whole content well. You will notice the yogurt will get a bit liquid. The cream helps in keeping it all together or you would have curdled yogurt bits.
- Throw in the green chili and curry leafs, salt and pepper according to your taste. Mix well and let it cook for 10 minutes until all the flavors get absorbed into the soup. Stir frequently.
- Take out and discard the curry leafs. Let it cool a bit and then mix the whole content to a smooth soup or directly blend it with a blender stick.
- If you want a warm soup then just reheat the smooth soup or keep it in the fridge and enjoy cooled.
- Don't forget to garnish the soup with chopped coriander (also known as cilantro).
Do you think Curd and Yogurt are the same or are these 2 ingredients different?
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So this is like a runny yogurt loaded with Indian spices? It looks very delicious!
I love this idea… Its spicy too… Thanks for sharing … nice clicks too 🙂
You are absolutely true Helen, we dont have soups in our cuisine. Because dals and kadhis makes up for that. Yogurt with cream is certainly new to me and sounds exciting. Even I will prefer it cold on Indian summer nights. 🙂
So interesting that yogurt is different in India. No matter, I’ll bet any style yogurt would work in this soup. Great flavors! Super post, and I’m looking forward to cookie week!
This is a great idea. We make a version of it, but this definitely looks more appetizing than the ones I have had. Beautiful clicks!
For me, it was the other way around. I didn’t buy yogurt for quite some time in US, as I had no idea curd and yogurt were one and the same thing. Cultural differences!
yogurt or curd is very cooling in the hot summers. i can imagine how it must be in goa. btw indian soups are known as shorbas and there are quite a number of them. this recipe seems to be a dahi shorba and quite an interesting one.
My mouth waters looking at that gorgeous sunshine yellow. I can almost imagine the tang in this soup. Very similar to our mor kuzhambu but this is made without the coconut!
Your power situation is awful. I feel so bad when you send an IM that says, “Sorry I disappeared, we have no power.”
I’ve heard of this soup from a Bulgarian friend and he told me it was fantastic. I’ve never made it but now with your soup and his recommendation, I have no reason not to give it a go.
It will be nice when the weather gets even warmer than it is now.
I usually don’t eat yogurt with savory flavors so this is extra intriguing to me!
This yogurt soup looks so pretty and flavorful…perfect on a hot day (which I wish we were having!!!).
That is correct soup is not a typical indian thing, but it is very much there in Army culture. My father was in air force, my husband in army and our formal dinners always started with soup. My family is a lover of soups and this is a great looking soup and you know what I have thick buttermilk and cream, I should try this today.
I haven’t tried Yogurt soup but I saw several yogurt soup recipes in a yogurt cookbook recently. This sounds and looks so good – I’m going to have to give it a try.
Dear Helene, I am hoping that things have improved with the power situation and also the heat! Love your recipe, and the introduction, so interesting!
Divine! I love making yogurt soup with leftover yogurt, just begging to be used!
What a very unusual soup! I’ve heard of yogurt soups, but they weren’t anything like this. Love all of the spices and chilis you use and that it’s good both cold and hot. Sounds like a perfect soup for hot weather. Sorry it’s so hot there. Hope you get relief soon!
This soup looks amazing! I have never had a yogurt based soup… but I must try it. 🙂
I haven’t had yogurt soup but it looks divine. I can imaging the creaminess of the flavor. 🙂
Such a flavorful soup and so unique that you use yogurt. I love the spices to give it that savory taste. Nice recipe.
I realized how important it is to have yogurt/curd while eating spicy Indian food and it balances out so nicely. I’d love to eat this unique yogurt soup!
One of my pantry staples is yoghurt so I love love love finding new ways to eat this. I cant wait to try this one. I can just taste the cumin and ginger in this.
This looks amazing! I have had goats curd before 🙂 It’s cold here today.. I could go a big bowl.