Invalid Soup Recipe

Mild, nourishing, filling, digestible meal in a bowl

Invalid Soup: If you've been ill, just had a baby, have a tender tummy, or just need an easy meal in a bowl, rice, dhal & veggie soup is just what the doctor ordered.

This soup recipe resulted when I made dosa batter and added mung dhal instead of brown rice.

I turned my mistake into this soothing soup, which is soft but not mushy, easy to chew and can be pureed.

4 Servings

Total prep & cook time: 75 min (after soaking)

Nutrition Data Per Serving, 247g: 286 cal, 52g carb, 4g fat, 394mg sodium, 12g fiber, 11g protein, low Cholesterol, good source, Vit A, K, Folate and Manganese. Estimated glycemic load: 23

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup uncooked long grain white rice (basmati rice is great) OR brown rice (but chewier)
• 1/3 cup mung dhal
• 1/3 cup urad dhal
• 1 Tbsp olive oil

• 4 cups water
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 2 cups peeled & diced sweet potato or yam (2 small or 1 large)
• 1 bay leaves
• Optional: 2 inch piece kombu (kelp seaweed)
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp gr coriander
• 1/2 tsp gr fennel seed
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1/2 tsp salt or to taste
• 1 cup fresh or frozen green peas
• 2 Tbsp minced cilantro OR parsley

Stovetop Directions:

1. Rinse and drain the rice and dhals. Soak overnight in the 4 cups water
2. Add the rice & dhals with the soaking water to a pot with the vegetables, bay leaf, & optional kombu
3. Bring to a boil, skim the foam, cover and simmer for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally
4. Heat the olive oil on medium low in a small frying pan
5. Add the spices and heat for 5 minutes
6. Add the spices and oil to the soup, then stir in a bit of water to get every last bit
7. Add peas, salt and minced herb, cover and cook for 5 more minutes (or until peas are tender) before serving

Recipe Tips:

This soup is quick and easy to make. The only thing that takes a long time is soaking the rice, mung dhal and urad dhal overnight. That's not absolutely necessary, but it does result in a soup of the perfect consistency with a much shorter cooking time for the dals.

Mung dhal and urad dhal can be found at Indian grocery stores, in the ethnic food aisle at some supermarkets, in bulk bins at natural food stores, or at sites like Nuts Online. If you find mung dhal, but not urad dhal, just use twice as much of mung dhal.

This soup could also be made with whole mung beans, which are easier to find than mung dhal and urad dhal! Just soak and cook as directed for the mung dhal and urad dhal.

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