Quick Curried Lentil Soup
Lentils are the top of my list of proteins as they are versatile, packed with nutrients, easy on the body and very budget friendly. This dish takes 10 minutes to prep , 5 minutes to get everything into the pot and 15 minutes of simmer time.
Ingredients
One 15 oz can of brown lentils
1 medium tomato
1/2 to 3/4 cup chopped onions – i’ve used red, white & yellow onions and sometimes even shallots. So use whatever you have at hand
3 cloves of garlic – These can be diced or sliced
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tablespoon cooking oil or 1/2 tablespoon clarified butter
1/8 tsp asafoetida
1/8 tsp garam masala powder
1/4 to 1/2 tsp coriander powder
1/4 to 1/2 tsp cumin powder
Salt as per taste
cayenne pepper
2 thai green chillies or 1/2 serranos ( optional)
1 cup of water
1/2 cup chopped cilantro ( optional)
Ingredient Costs: $6
Serves : 4
Method
1. Rinse out the can of beans once or twice , drain them through a thin sieve colander & keep them in the colander so any excess water runs out.
2. Set your gas to a low medium flame, add the oil or butter, cumin seeds and asafoetida into the pot, give it a quick stir, cover it and wait for 15 seconds or till you hear constant sputtering.
3. Once it starts sputtering set the flame to low, add the garlic and onions together, quick stir for 30 seconds & cover the saucepan for half to one minute. Stir the mixture frequently till the onions become translucent. You can add a tablespoon of water if the mixture sticks to the pot.
4. Once the mixture has reached it desired consistency, add the tomatoes, lentils & water in the stated order and mix them. At this point i slit the chillies lengthwise and them as well.
4. Follow this up by adding salt, cayenne,coriander, cumin and garam masala powders, give the lentils a quick and thorough stir so that everything is mixed well. Cover the pot for 5-7 minutes and make sure the flame is set to low.
5. Check the dish to make sure nothing is sticking to the pot. If you feel it needs more water , add half a cup of water at a time. Remember these are pre-cooked lentils & you need just enough water so that the lentils don’t clump or burn,so you shouldn’t need more than 2 cups of water.
6. At the 12-15 min mark, the aroma of the spices should start wafting in the kitchen and that’s when you know the dish is ready.
7. Add chopped cilantro to garnish and serve with steamed rice, quinoa, a packet of seeds of change, naan, pita bread, a piece of buttered toast or enjoy the lentils by themselves.
If you like this dish or have any cooking hacks that could make it easier to prepare feel free to share your feedback in the comments section.
Bon Appetit