Curried Lentil Soup
It was only about six years ago when I was introduced to Indian food. I grew up in a rather traditional, southern cookin’ kinda of house. Food was mostly bland as I remember, as neither of my parents were enthused about spicy foods. Lucky for me, I’ve had people in my life who encouraged me to step out of my comfort food rut and experience the bold, rich flavors of culturally diverse foods. Indian food, in particular, is one I really enjoy. Sign me up for anything curry. I’m not sure if I’ve acquired a taste for more spicy foods or if, perhaps, I’ve killed my taste buds and, therefore, can tolerate more heat. Either way, I can take a little heat in my dish.
It’s been a cool few days here in the Shenandoah Valley, and I’m already thinking about soup! Consuming soup is a great way to ingest many different vegetables and spices that heal and nourish our tired body systems. Both turmeric and ginger are anti-inflammatory spices, the cinnamon is a blood sugar regular, and coconut oil and milk provide essential fats for our cells. It’s root vegetable season and what better way to enjoy them but in this exceptional recipe. Please don’t be intimidated by the list of ingredients. It’s mostly spices.
Weather today: Partly cloudy and cooler, temp. 76 degrees
Listening to: Smooth Jazz on Pandora
Scent in the Diffuser: Peppermint
Curried Lentil Soup
Yields about 10 cups
Time: 50 min.
Ingredients:
1 ½ cups dried green lentils
4 cups water
1 tsp ground turmeric
½ tsp salt
2 TBSP coconut oil
1 ½ cups chopped onions
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 TBSP peeled and grated fresh ginger
½ tsp salt
1 cup diced carrots
1 cup diced potatoes
1 tsp ground cumin seeds
1 tsp ground coriander seeds
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground turmeric
¼ tsp ground cardamom
¼ tsp – ½ tsp cayenne
3 cups water or vegetable stock
1 cup seeded and diced bell pepper
½ cup unsweetened coconut milk
2-3 TBSP fresh lemon juice
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
Directions:
In a saucepan, bring the rinsed lentils, water, turmeric, and salt to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the lentils are tender, 30 – 40 minutes. Stir occasionally and add more water if necessary.
Warm the oil in the soup pot on medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, ginger, and salt, cover and cook on low heat until the onions are tender. Add the carrots, potatoes, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, turmeric, cardamom, and cayenne and cook briefly, stirring constantly to prevent burning.
Add the water or stock and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the vegetables are barely tender, 5-10 minutes. Stir in the bell peppers and continue to simmer until all that vegetables are tender.
When the lentils are soft, stir them and their remaining cooking liquid into the vegetables. Add the coconut milk, 2 TBSP of the lemon juice, and the cilantro. Add more lemon juice and salt to taste.
Adopted from Moosewood Restaurant Favorites Cookbook
