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Red Lentil Soup
28 Answers
Made a nice red lentil soup yesterday. I put onions, garlic, carrots and celery with plenty of salt n pepper. It was quite tasty but there was something missing. Could have had more flavour. Any ideas??
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1) Cook the lentils first. Add some chopped onion and a medium chopped tomato to the water. Cook gently till it’s like thin porridge.
2) Heat some oil (or butter), add a teaspoon of cumin seeds, stir for a minute. Add some chopped garlic and ginger, cook for a minute.
3) Add half an onion, finely chopped, cook gently for 6-8 minutes.
4) Add a couple of finely chopped tomatoes, stir and cook for 3-4 minutes.
5) Now the spices. The trick is not to add too much - less is definitely more!
1/2 tspoon turmeric
pinch of asafoetida (not vital)
1 tspn ground coriander
1/2 tspn chilli powder (Kashmiri is mild)
2 saltspoons salt (make it 1 if you’ve already salted the lentils)
tiny pinch of garam masalla (watch it! use too much and it will dominate)
6) Stir, then add the lentils, plus some vegetable stock to make it the consistency you like. Less stock will give you a dall as a side dish, more will give you soup.
Tip: taste as you go, adjusting the spices/salt to taste.
Good cooking!
BillB
2) Heat some oil (or butter), add a teaspoon of cumin seeds, stir for a minute. Add some chopped garlic and ginger, cook for a minute.
3) Add half an onion, finely chopped, cook gently for 6-8 minutes.
4) Add a couple of finely chopped tomatoes, stir and cook for 3-4 minutes.
5) Now the spices. The trick is not to add too much - less is definitely more!
1/2 tspoon turmeric
pinch of asafoetida (not vital)
1 tspn ground coriander
1/2 tspn chilli powder (Kashmiri is mild)
2 saltspoons salt (make it 1 if you’ve already salted the lentils)
tiny pinch of garam masalla (watch it! use too much and it will dominate)
6) Stir, then add the lentils, plus some vegetable stock to make it the consistency you like. Less stock will give you a dall as a side dish, more will give you soup.
Tip: taste as you go, adjusting the spices/salt to taste.
Good cooking!
BillB
Sumac would be good too, it has a slightly sharp note.
I would probably go down the middle eastern route
I am making a chicken and vegetable soup with red lentil pasta at the moment, using up some of the immature peppers from the pots with leek, carrot chilli, garlic , and at the last minute courgettes. I am using basilmint which is halfway between the two, and oregano. I will also stir in some soya beans for even more protein.
I would probably go down the middle eastern route
I am making a chicken and vegetable soup with red lentil pasta at the moment, using up some of the immature peppers from the pots with leek, carrot chilli, garlic , and at the last minute courgettes. I am using basilmint which is halfway between the two, and oregano. I will also stir in some soya beans for even more protein.
4 tbsp veg oil 1 tsp turmeric
2 smallish onions 1 tsp ground cumin
3 garlic cloves 1 tsp ground coriander
2 red chillies, chopped 1 tsp black mustard seeds
1 cm ginger 2 tsp tamarind paste
800g ripe tomatoes, chopped (I use 400 g and a 400g tin)
250 mg dried lentils
500 ml veg or chicken stock
Handful of chopped coriander
Salt and pepper to taste
Cook lentils and drain. I break them down a bit with a hand blender but if depends if you like them whole or broken down. Set aside.
Heat the oil in a large pan. Stir fry the onions, garlic, chillies and ginger until golden. Stir in the spices and cook quickly for 2 mins, stirring often. Mix the tamarine with a little hot water and add. Add tomatoes and fresh coriander. Cook until the tomatoes are mushy and remove from the heat. Add the stock. Season and puree with a hand blender. Add the lentils, star anise and warm through.
2 smallish onions 1 tsp ground cumin
3 garlic cloves 1 tsp ground coriander
2 red chillies, chopped 1 tsp black mustard seeds
1 cm ginger 2 tsp tamarind paste
800g ripe tomatoes, chopped (I use 400 g and a 400g tin)
250 mg dried lentils
500 ml veg or chicken stock
Handful of chopped coriander
Salt and pepper to taste
Cook lentils and drain. I break them down a bit with a hand blender but if depends if you like them whole or broken down. Set aside.
Heat the oil in a large pan. Stir fry the onions, garlic, chillies and ginger until golden. Stir in the spices and cook quickly for 2 mins, stirring often. Mix the tamarine with a little hot water and add. Add tomatoes and fresh coriander. Cook until the tomatoes are mushy and remove from the heat. Add the stock. Season and puree with a hand blender. Add the lentils, star anise and warm through.
Cover a ham shank in cold water bring to the boil drain then back in pan with fresh water,bay leaf onion carrot celery and pepper . Simmer for 2 hours.
Remove ham shank and sieve stock into jug. In large pan saute chopped carrot onions celery in butter, add raw rinsed red lentils and finally ham stock.
Bring to boil and simmer until lentils are cooked, boiling off excess liquid or adding a little depending how thick you like your soup.
I add in flakes of the saved ham shank and serve with crusty bread or a ham sandwich (made from the shank)
That's proper English Food
Remove ham shank and sieve stock into jug. In large pan saute chopped carrot onions celery in butter, add raw rinsed red lentils and finally ham stock.
Bring to boil and simmer until lentils are cooked, boiling off excess liquid or adding a little depending how thick you like your soup.
I add in flakes of the saved ham shank and serve with crusty bread or a ham sandwich (made from the shank)
That's proper English Food
