This recipe produces about 2.5 liters of soup. It can be doubled.
Ingredients:
- 200g (1 cup) dry red lentils (soak overnight for faster cooking)
- 1 liter of water for cooking the lentils
- -
- Some butter
- 2 onions, diced
- 2 carrots, diced
- 1 hot chili, de-seeded and diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 large tart cooking apple, peeled and diced
- 2 tomatoes, diced
- -
- 2-3 tbsp ginger, minced
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- Dry spices:
- 2 tsp curry leaves
- 1 tsp "curry powder" (mine is consisting mostly of turmeric, fennel and fenugreek)
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp thyme
- 1/2 tsp cardamom powder (fresh, otherwise you may need a tad more)
- 1 tsp sugar (I use brown)
- -
- 150-200 ml (apx 3/4 cup) coconut cream (unsweetened)
- 3/4 liter up to 1 liter of stock or water
- 1-2 tsp wine vinegar (or some lemon juice)
- chopped cilantro
- optional: toasted cashew / pistachios / coconut chips, croutons or crackers for garnish
- optional strained yogurt for garnish
Directions:
- Cook the lentils in a liter of water until fully tender.
- -
- Meanwhile, fry the onions in butter until golden.
- Add the carrots and fry until starting to soften.
- Add chili and garlic. Saute until aromatic.
- Add apple and tomatoes, cook until softened (~5 minutes).
- If the vegetables aren't fully cooked to your liking, add water and cook until they are.
- -
- Using a blender, blend smooth the ginger, 1/2 of the lentils and 1/4 to 1/3 of the vegetables.
- Mix it all back together in the pot.
- Add the dry spices, and remaining ingredients (coconut cream, vinegar, cilantro). Add 3/4 to 1 liter of stock/water to reach desired consistency.
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Bring to a low boil, taste and adjust.
- It should be gently spicy (hot) and gently sweet.
- It shouldn't be tart, but add vinegar or lemon if it tastes flat or overly sweet.
- Make sure you can get a good hint of the cardamom, it's what makes this soup for me.
