Comfort Red Lentil Soup With Warm Spices Recipes

COMFORT RED LENTIL SOUP WITH WARM SPICES

Steps:

• Pick over the lentils, place them in a colander and rinse several times, until the water runs clear.
• Place a medium pot over medium heat. Add the 2 tablespoons of olive oil and, once hot, add the onion and sauté for about four minutes until softened. Next, season with the salt and add the minced garlic. Cook for a minute more and then add the spices. Stirring frequently cook for two minutes more, or, until the onions and garlic are well caramelized and the spices become fragrant.
• To the pot add the tomato paste and cook briefly until the paste caramelizes as well (the tomato paste will help thicken the soup). Stir in the broth (chicken or vegetable) and the water. Next, add the rinsed lentils. Bring the pot to a simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes, or, until the lentils are completely soft and broken down. (Red lentils cook faster than other varieties)
• Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice and zest. Taste and adjust the seasoning--add more salt or spices if necessary (I usually do).
• When ready to serve, heat 2 TBSP. of olive oil in a small skillet and stir in the paprika. Remove from the heat.
• Ladle the soup into four warm bowls, drizzle each portion with the seasoned olive oil, sprinkle with the fresh cilantro, and serve.

SPICED RED LENTIL SOUP WITH CRISPY FRIED GINGER

Steps:

• In a large, heavy-bottom pot, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, ginger, cumin, and curry powder; cook, scraping any browned bits from bottom of pot with a wooden spoon, until onion is soft and light golden, about 10 minutes. Reduce heat to medium, and add tomatoes. Cook about 5 minutes.
• Stir lentils, chicken stock, the water, and bay leaf into pot; raise heat to medium-high, and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low; cook, stirring occasionally, until lentils are tender, about 30 minutes. Add salt; season with pepper. Remove from heat. Let stand about 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make fried ginger: In a medium saute pan, heat oil over medium heat. Add ginger in a single layer; cook, stirring constantly, until strips begin to turn crisp and deep golden, about 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon or tongs, transfer to paper towels to drain. Keep warm until ready to serve.
• Remove bay leaf from pot, and discard. Using an immersion or regular blender (working in batches so as not to fill jar more than halfway), puree soup until completely smooth. Return soup to low heat until warmed through. Divide soup among six serving bowls; top each bowl with about 1 tablespoon yogurt. Garnish with fried ginger; serve.

RED LENTIL SOUP WITH SPICED OIL

Steps:

• Make the soup:
• In a large bowl wash the lentils in several changes of cold water until the water runs clear and drain them in a fine sieve. In a large heavy saucepan cook the onions in the oil over moderate heat, stirring, until they are softened, add the garlic and the gingerroot, and cook the mixture, stirring, for 1 minutes. Add the cumin and the ground coriander seeds and cook the mixture over moderately low heat, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the lentils, the broth, 1 1/2 cups water, and the tomatoes and simmer the mixture, covered, for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the lentils are tender. In a blender or food processor purée the mixture in batches, transferring it to a bowl as it is puréed, return the soup to the pan, cleaned, and season it with salt and pepper. The soup may be made 3 days in advance and kept covered and chilled. Reheat the soup and thin it, if necessary, with water.
• Make the spiced oil:
• In a small skillet or saucepan heat the oil over moderately high heat until it is hot but not smoking, add the chili, the cuminseed, and the turmeric, and fry the spices, stirring, for 10 to 15 seconds, or until the sizzling begins to subside. Remove the skillet from the heat.
• Heat the soup over moderate heat, stirring, until it is hot and ladle it into bowls. Drizzle the spiced oil with a spoon over the soup, garnish each serving with a coriander sprig, and serve the soup with the pappadams.
• Make the pappadams:
• In a skillet at least 2 inches wider than a pappadam heat 1/2 inch of the oil to 375°F. on a deep-fat thermometer and in it fry the pappadams, 1 at a time, turning them, for 10 to 15 seconds, or until they have expanded and turned pale golden. Transfer the pappadams as they are fried to paper towels to drain. The pappadams may be fried 1 day in advance and kept, covered loosely, at room temperature.

BRYAN'S SPICY RED LENTIL SOUP

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat, and cook the onion until golden brown. Season with salt and pepper. Mix in tomatoes, spinach, and lentils, and pour in water. Season with basil, cardamom, cumin, cayenne pepper, and curry powder. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lentils are tender.
• Transfer the soup to a blender (or use a hand held blender), and blend until smooth before serving.