Debfood Recipe Template: Spicy Lentil Soup

by Julie Sahni via Richard

This is one of my favorite winter soups.  Dirt simple to make and it reheats and freezes well.  I recommend using actual toor dal.  The results are much better.

The goal is a fairly thin, vaguely clear soup.  Not quite consomme, but related.

I'll often serve this in coffee cups at the start of an Indian dinner.

I've found that a tuperware type ice tea container makes the prep work much easier.  Let the lentil puree cool slightly, and then transfer it to the ice tea container.

Its much easier to separate the broth from the solids if you use a tall thin container rather than a short wide one.

Ingredients

1 cup yellow lentils (tovaar/toor dal)

1 teaspoon turmeric

2 cups chopped ripe tomatoes (sub 2 cups canned)

2 teaspoons fine chopped garlic

1 one-inch ball tamarind pulp

1 tablespoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon ground cumin

¼ teaspoon red and black pepper corns

1 teaspoon molasses (or brown sugar)

1 tablespoon kosher salt

2 tablespoons light vegetable oil

¾ teaspoon black mustard seeds

1/8 teaspoon asafetida

2 tablespoons fresh cilantro

Directions

1. Put lentils in a deep 3 quart saucepan with the turmeric and 4 cups

cold water.  Bring to a boil over medium high heat.  Reduce heat and

simmer at a gentle bubble , partially covered until the lentils are

tender (about 35 minutes), stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.

While lentils are cooking, puree tomatoes and garlic with .5 cups of

cold water and set aside.

2. Put the tamarind pulp in a bowl with .25 cups of boiling water and let

soak for 15 minutes.  Mash the pulp and extract as much liquid as

possible.  Discard fiber (Tamarind paste is a viable substitute)

Puree the lentils in blender or food processor and return to the pan.

Blend in 3 cups of hot water with a wire wisk and mix thoroughly.  Let

lentils rest undisturbed for 15 minutes.  Pour the lentil broth that

has accumulated at the top into another bowl (there should be about

4.5 cups of broth.  Transfer the thick lentil puree left at the bottom

to another bowl (This can be saved and used for making lentil stews or

enriched with spice-perfumed butter and served as a side dish)

3. Return the lentil broth to the pan, add the tomato puree, tamarind

juice, coriander, cumin, red and black pepper, sugar and salt.  Bring

the browth to a boil over medium high heat.  Reduce heat to low and

simmer partially covered for 15 minutes.  Turn off heat.

Heat oil over high heat in a small frying pan.  When oil is very hot,

add mustard seeds.  After 5 seconds or so when the seeds stop

sputtering, add the asafetida.   Pour the spiced butter over the lentil broth.  

Stir.  Cover, and let sit for 5 minutes.  Check for

salt and stir in cilantro.