Instant Soup / Instant Chaaru (No Powder)

Recipe Cooked, Photographed and Written by Praveena

PrepTime:2 mins   CookTime:10 mins   Cuisine:Indian

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Table of Contents⇓   RecipeCard⇓

In Telugu cuisine we call soup without dal as ‘chaaru’. Generally, a spice powder called ‘chaaru podi’ specific to this South Indian Soup is added to this recipe. It adds flavour, aroma and improves the taste of this recipe.

But, when, there is not much time to make the fresh chaaru podi / spice powder or when the powder is out-of-stock in the pantry, Amma (Mom) used to make this quick fix soup/chaaru. This requires very few basic ingredients, where in black peppercorns play the main role.

This simple recipe is considered as a lay man’s comfort food and even a millionaire’s pleasure food.  It is also called as Tamarind Soup / Chinthapandu Charu.

Table of Contents:

Click to Expand / Collapse

1. How to serve / use, ‘Andhra Chaaru / Instant Soup / No Dal Rasam’:
2. Health Benefits of ‘Andhra Chaaru / Instant Soup’:
3. Other recipes from my blog:
4. Step wise pics Procedure for ‘Instant Soup / Instant Chaaru (No Powder)’:
5. Prep Work:
6. Cooking:
7. Tempering:
8. Tips & Storage:
9. Result:
10. Recipe Card & Print:

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How to serve / use, ‘Andhra Chaaru / Instant Soup / No Dal Rasam’:

The first best way to have this dish is, as a side with plain steamed rice, along with some crunchies like papad, fryums, or fries. And not to forget a dollop of ghee to be added after mixing the soup/chaaru with rice. 

Mushy rice is the preferred texture of rice to go with this charu. If mushy rice isn’t available, use your palm to mush the rice while mixing it with this hot charu.

This soup / chaaru tastes equally good even when taken as it is. Being a mild in spice recipe its suitable for kids too.

You can even add some boiled noodles or any bread on the side, which makes it even more filling on the tummy.

Health Benefits of ‘Andhra Chaaru / Instant Soup’:

As per ayurveda, this recipe is considered and trusted for generations together as a simple and quick home remedy for instant relief from sniffy nose, sore throat, cough and cold.

It rejuvenates the taste buds when used as a post recovery food for any minor illness to serious health recovery.

Tamarind is high in anti inflammatory & anti oxidant properties, that protects against cancer. The tamarind puree helps in reducing body weight.

Main purpose of this dish is to boost up the immunity, irrespective of age group.

To conclude, this soup is suitable for Vegetarian, Plant Based, Vegan, Gluten Free, Diabetic, Nut Free, Soya Free, Kids Friendly, Weight Loss, Low Cals, Anti-Inflammation, Medicinal Diets.

Other recipes from my blog:

Before starting to cook, don’t forget to see the Tips mentioned at the end.

Soup recipes collection⇒  Salads & Soups

Daily meal platters collection⇒  Daily Bhojanam / Thali / Meal Platter

Air Fryer recipes collection⇒  Air – Fryer Recipes

Telugu recipes collection⇒   Authentic Andhra Recipes Collection / Telugu Vantalu

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Ingredients:

• Water – 4 cups
• Chopped Tomatoes – 1 cup / from 2 medium size
• Black Peppercorn / Whole Black Pepper  / Miryalu – 2 to 3 teaspoons 
• Salt – as per taste
• Red Chilli Powder / Paprika / Chilli flakes – ¼ teaspoon
• Turmeric Powder / Pasupu – ¼ teaspoon
• Sugar / Jaggery – 3 teaspoons
• Tamarind thick puree – 2 tablespoons 
• Chopped Coriander leaves – 2 tablespoons
• Drumsticks / Munakkada – 1 (optional)

Ingredients for Tempering : (optional)

• Mustard seeds / Aavalu – ¼ teaspoon
• Jeera / Cumin Seeds – ¼ teaspoon
• Asafoetida / Hing / Inguva – half of ¼ teaspoon
• Dry Red Chillies – 3
• Curry Leaves – 5 to 6
• Cooking oil – 1 tablespoon
• Crushed Garlic – 1 teaspoon (optional)

Special Ingredients:

• Black Peppercorn / Whole Black Pepper
• Tamarind

Step wise pics Procedure for ‘Instant Soup / Instant Chaaru (No Powder)’:

Prep Work:

Firstly, wash the tomatoes and drumsticks. Chop the tomatoes finely and drumsticks 1 inch length wise.

On the kitchen counter, take the whole black pepper in between 2 kitchen towels, crush them coarsely, with the rolling pin.

Cooking:

Take the veggies into a medium size steel vessel / sauce pan.

Add all these>>> coarsely ground fresh black pepper, water, salt, turmeric powder, sugar, tamarind puree and red chilli powder / paprika.

Give one gentle stir, put the vessel/pan on stove top under medium flame.

Bring the soup to boil until it forms bubbles, just like the pic above. Add a tablespoon of chopped coriander leaves. Switch the flame off.

Tempering:

Put a small frying pan on stove top under medium flame. All all the ‘Ingredients for Tempering’.

Keep stirring, let the mustard seeds splutter. Then switch the flame off.

Transfer the ‘tempering’ onto the soup/chaaru. Give a mix and garnish with one more tablespoon of chopped coriander leaves.

 Transfer the soup / chaaru into a serving dish. Done!!

Tips & Storage:

• Adjust the salt and spice as per your taste.
• The main ingredient here is the freshly ground coarse black peppercorns / miriyalu. Don’t try to use black pepper powder, which doesn’t do justice to the dish. 
• Try to make even without adding tomato and drumsticks too. It turns quite good.
• Yes, it perfectly fine to use canned / tinned tomato chunks.
• While using fresh tomatoes, just go for ripe ones.
• You can adjust the consistency, by reducing / increasing the water quantity.
• Addition of drum sticks can be skipped, which might not vary the taste of this soup / chaaru.
• Whole Foods Plant Based option: Avoid the ‘tempering’ section to make it oil-free. But, adding the tempering part, for sure makes the dish more aromatic.

Result:

• This, Instant Soup / Chaaru, is very light on the tummy but gives an absolute soothing feel to the throat.
• As shown in the below picture, we had it along with plain steamed white rice topped with homemade ghee and fryums.

Recipe Card & Print:

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