Gingered Tomato Broth With Pappadam Noodles

Ingredients

5 pappadams
12 spinach leaves
16 ml peanut oil
2 gr cumin seeds
22 gr ginger
3 gr jalapeno pepper
1 gr turmeric
3 ripe tomatoes
1,200 ml stock
18 gr cilantro

Instructions

Using scissors, cut pappadams into 3 cm wide noodles. Stack spinach leaves, roll them into a tight log, & cut into 0 cm chiffonade. Heat oil over moderate heat. Add cumin seeds, ginger & jalapeno, fry till seeds darken slightly. Stir in turmeric & tomato & cook about 4 to 5 minutes. Add stock & bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover & simmer for 15 minutes. Season. Just before serving, add noodles & spinach & simmer for a bare minute. Ladle into warmed bowls & garnish with cilantro. Variations: In place of spinach use 1 cup blanched peas, snow peas, zucchini or asparagus slivers. Yamuna Devi, "Yamuna's Table"