Red Lentil Soup

Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times

By MARTHA ROSE SHULMAN

Published: December 30, 2008

Red lentils are a beautiful color orange when dry, but they become a rather drab yellow when they cook. This can be disappointing, until you taste the lentils.

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Ingredients

2 tablespoons canola oil or peanut oil
1 medium or large onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
Salt to taste
2 teaspoons cumin seeds, lightly toasted and ground
2 teaspoons coriander seeds, lightly toasted and ground
2 teaspoons hot curry powder
1 (28-ounce) can chopped tomatoes with juice
1 pound red lentils (about 2 1/8 cups), washed and picked over
2 quarts water, chicken stock, vegetable stock

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper (more to taste)
Cayenne to taste (optional)
Juice of 1/2 lime
For garnish:
Chopped fresh cilantro
Thickened yogurt
1. Heat the oil in a large, heavy soup pot over medium heat and add the onion. Cook, stirring, until tender, about 5 minutes, and add the garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, the cumin, coriander, and curry powder. Stir together for about a minute, until the garlic is fragrant, and stir in the tomatoes with their juice. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring often, for 10 minutes, until the tomatoes have cooked down slightly. Add salt to taste.
2. Stir in the lentils and water or chicken stock. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, cover and simmer 30 minutes. Add salt to taste and continue to simmer for 15 to 30 minutes, until the lentils have fallen apart and thickened the soup. Using the back of your spoon, mash the lentils against the side of the pot to thicken the soup further. Add the pepper, taste, and add cayenne if you want more spice. Taste and adjust salt. Stir in the lime juice.
3. If you wish, puree with an immersion blender or in batches in a blender, holding a towel over the lid to prevent hot soup from splashing out, and return to the pot. Heat through and serve, topping each bowl with a dollop of yogurt and a generous sprinkling of chopped cilantro.
Note: When I was developing this soup, I served it two ways: as a rustic, thick lentil and tomato soup, and as a puree. My 10-year-old son liked it better as a thick lentil soup, and I preferred the texture and especially the look of the puree. You can try it both ways.
Yield: Serves 6
Advance preparation: You can make this a day ahead. It will keep for 3 or 4 days in the refrigerator.

Approximate Nutritional Information per Serving: Calories: 360; total fat: 6.8g; saturated fat: 0.7g; cholesterol: 0mg; sodium: 1032mg; total carbohydrates: 54.7g; dietary fiber: 25.3g; sugars: 6.8g; protein: 22.1g (Nutritional Information provided by calorie-count.com)

Borrowed from
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/30/health/nutrition/30recipehealth.html


Note: The original author of the recipe!

Note: I didn't have hot curry powder so I substituted in mild curry powder, chili powder, ginger and a bit more garlic powder. Soooo yummy! I also used pre-ground ingredients (and no lime), ( I did not toast cumin, etc) and it still came out pretty swell. The more tender love and care that goes into it, I'm sure, the better it will turn out.

Baked Lentils

Vegan Baked Lentils Recipe

Serves 4.

Ingredients:

• 1 ¾ cups dry (uncooked) lentils
• 2 ¼ cups water
• 2 onions, chopped
• 2 cups canned diced tomatoes
• 2 carrots, sliced
• ½ cup celery, sliced (optional)
• 1 green pepper, chopped (optional)
• 1 tsp. salt
• ¼ tsp. pepper
• 1/8 tsp. marjoram
• 1/8 tsp. sage
• 1/8 tsp. thyme
• 1 bay leaf (be sure to remove before serving)
• 2 tsp. chopped parsley
• Optional garnish: sliced avocado or grated Swiss cheese (vegetarian)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375° F.
2. In a 9 x 13 baking dish, combine lentils, water, spices, onions, garlic, and tomatoes.
3. Cover tightly and bake for 30 minutes.
4. Stir in carrots and celery and bake, covered, for another 40 minutes.
5. Stir in optional green pepper and parsley.

Recipe Borrowed From: http://vegetarian-recipes.suite101.com/article.cfm/baked_lentils

Buddha's Happy Belly

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1/4 cup green onion
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon curry
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 medium head cauliflower, cut into 1-inch florets
• 1 cup diced tomato
• 4 1/2 ounces cooked lentils
• paprika (optional)

Directions

1. Heat olive oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add green onions and garlic, and saute until fragrant. Reduce heat, add curry and cumin. Cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
2. Add cauliflower and tomatoes, and saute until cauliflower is tender. Add lentils; cook 1-2 minutes to heat through. Add salt to taste, and garnish with sprinkling of paprika, if desired.

Lentil Barley Soup

Ingredients

• 1 cup lentils, rinsed
• 2 stalks celery, sliced
• 1/2 cup hulled barley or pearl barley
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• 6 cups water or vegetable stock
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 garlic cloves, minced or crushed
• 1/8-1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 2 carrots, sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
• 2-4 cups fresh spinach (optional)

Directions

1. Place all ingredients except salt into a large pot and bring to a simmer.
2. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the lentils and barley are tender, about 1 hour.
3. Add salt to taste and spinach, if desired.
4. Cook briefly until spinach is wilted but still bright green.
5. This soup can also be prepared in a crockpot. If you start with boiling water it will cook in 1 to 2 hours; with cold water, 5 to 6 hours.
6. To cook in a pressure cooker, put all ingredients except salt and spinach into cooker and bring it to high pressure.
7. Cook at high pressure for 12 minutes; then bring pressure down with a quick-release method. Lentils should be cooked, but barley may not be completely tender.
8. Cook until barley reaches the desired state of tenderness, about 15 minutes, adding water if a thinner consistency is needed. Then add salt and spinach, if desired.
9. Cook briefly until spinach is wilted but still bright green.

Borrowed from http://www.recipezaar.com/Lentil-Barley-Soup-348278

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 1 (243g) Recipe makes 6 servings
Calories 265
Calories from Fat 126		(47%)
Amount Per Serving		%DV
	Total Fat 14.1g	21%
	Saturated Fat 8.5g	42%
	Monounsaturated Fat 3.9g
	Polyunsaturated Fat 1.0g
	Trans Fat 0.0g
Cholesterol 0mg		0%
Sodium 31mg		1%
Potassium 306mg		8%
Total Carbohydrate 27.7g		9%
	Dietary Fiber 5.4g	21%
	Sugars 4.6g
Protein 9.8g		19%
detailed view... how is this calculated?

Lentil Dahl

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon ginger paste
• 1 tablespoon garlic paste
• 1 teaspoon cumin seed
• 1 teaspoon turmeric, ground
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper, crushed
• 2 cups cauliflower florets, chopped
• 2 1/2 cups beef broth or chicken broth
• 1 cup dried lentils
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat.
2. Add onion, ginger, garlic, cumin, turmeric, garam masala and red pepper and saute for approx 2 minutes (until onions are soft).
3. Add cauliflower and saute 1 minute.
4. Stir in broth and lentils, making sure to mix well.
5. Bring to a boil.
6. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for about 35 minutes or until lentils are tender.
7. Stir in lime juice and salt.