
Indian Lentil Soup

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Indian cooks are the masters of beans and lentils, and they draw on an overwhelming variety: pink, orange, bright red, and black. While Western cooks often enhance the flavor of bean and lentil soups with lamb, pork, or other meats, Indian cooks typically rely on spices and often on ghee, clarified butter with a wonderful butterscotch flavor. Yogurt is often used in combination with other liquids and wet ingredients, such as coconut milk or even cream. The best approach is to simmer the lentils with spices, onions, water and, if you like, tomatoes. Add whatever liquid suits you to bring the soup to the consistency you like (lentils absorb about triple their volume in liquid). You can leave the lentils whole or puree them. If you want a fine, delicate soup, strain it through a fine-mesh strainer. A last minute addition of chopped cilantro in a spicy soup balances the heat, while something else acidic, such as lime juice or vinegar; enhances a soup containing tomatoes.
ingredients
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serves: 8
1 onion (chopped)
2 cloves garlic (minced)
2 jalapeno chiles (seeded and minced, or 1 chipotle chile, soaked in hot water for 30 minutes to soften, seeded, and minced)
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger (or 2 teaspoons ground ginger)
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 1/2 cups red, pink, or yellow lentils (picked over for stones and grit and rinsed)
6 tomatoes (peeled, seeded, and chopped, or 3 cups seeded and chopped canned tomatoes)
12 leaves curry (tied into a bundle with string) (optional)
1 tablespoon black mustard seeds (optional)
2 tablespoons ghee (or more to taste) (optional)
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (or more to taste)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
Salt
Servings Per Recipe: 8
Amount per Serving
Calories: 209
- Total Fat: 7.2 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.9 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Cholesterol: 15.4 mg
- Sodium: 61.1 mg
- Total Carbs: 28.5 g
- Dietary Fiber: 6 g
- Sugars: 3.4 g
- Protein: 10.4 g
preparation

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