Spicy Red Lentil Vegetable Soup

Simple, Satisfying, Adaptable Curry Soup Recipe

Spicy Red Lentil Soup is featured in Jill Nussinow's new cookbook, Nutrition CHAMPS, on Pg. 177.

This tasty vegan soup recipe now has a pressure cooker option, thanks to my lovely new pressure cooker, and The Veggie Queen's new pressure cookbook.

For this lentil curry soup, we use Masoor Dahl, tiny red lentils available in natural food stores or Indian groceries. It's light, easily digested, colorful, cooks quickly - a great favorite with cooks in a hurry.

Total prep & cook time: 60 min

6 Servings

Nutrition Data Per Serving, 135 g: 232 calories, 33 g carbohydrate, 8 g fat, 412 mg sodium, 6 g dietary fiber, 9 g protein, low in Cholesterol, good source of Dietary Fiber, Copper and Manganese, very good source of Vit A and Vit C. Estimated glycemic load: 13.

Soup Ingredients:

• 1 c Indian red lentils (Masoor Dahl)
• 6 c water
• 1 large yam ( approx 1 lb)
• 1 c sliced fresh green beans
• 2 stalks celery, diced

• 1/2 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 thin slices fresh peeled ginger
• 1/2 cinnamon stick
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 pinch hing (asoefetida)
• 1/2 tsp gr fennel
• 1/2 tsp cumin seed
• 1 tsp gr coriander
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1/2 tsp salt or to taste
• 2 Tbsp minced parsley, basil or cilantro as garnish

Directions:

1. Clean, wash, rinse and drain the red lentils
2. Bring the water and lentils to a boil, and skim the foam
3. Prep the veggies
4. Cover and simmer 1/2 hour - 15 minutes if soaked
5. Heat the oil on medium in a large sauce pan & add the hing
6. Add the veggies, and sauté 5 minutes on med/high heat
7. Add the spices, sauté briefly, remove from heat
8. Add the lentils and water
9. Add the ginger slices, bay leaf, cinnamon stick
10. Stove Top: Bring to a boil, cover and simmer 1/2 hour
11. Pressure Cooker: Lock on lid, bring to high pressure for 6 minutes, remove from heat, natural pressure release 10 minutes
12. Crockpot: Add to crockpot, cover, set heat to low, cook for 4 - 6 hours
13. Add salt to taste and minced herb, serve with chapatis or rice

Recipe Tips:

This red lentil soup recipe has many possible variations. The yam complements the red lentils very well, but add or substitute whatever vegetables you wish.

Other kinds of lentils will work too, but they'll take longer to cook, and should be soaked.

This soup is good served with a scoop of rice, and a couple of Indian chapatis or tortillas, or any kind of sandwich. It's also good with orange raisin scones or oatmeal date nut muffins.

More bean cooking tips and directions

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