ISO: Indian Lentil Soup?

[Mr_Dove]

I went to a great new Indian place for my birthday. I got a great sampler platter and one of the dishes that I fell in love with was a great lentil soup.

Does anyone know what this soup is called and how to make it? It was delicious.

[Yakuta]

Lentil soup in India (authentic one) is not made of the red or brown lentils. We normally use a lentil called Tuvar to make it. I am sure you can substitute other types of lentils but it still tastes best with a yellow Tuvar Dahl.

Here is the general recipe.

Lentils - Kind you have handy about a cup and a half. Wash and cook until tender. At this point use an immersion blender (hand blender) to puree it. I don't like it completely mushed so I keep the texture a bit mixed.

3 cloves of garlic finely chopped
1 green chili finely chopped
1 tsp of cumin for tempering
3 tsp of brown mustard seeds for tempering
handful of fresh curry leaves (extremely fragrant and essential to making this soup and it is only available in Indian stores)
juice of 1 lime - normally we use tamarind (but you can substitute with lime juice or if you make a trip to an Indian store buy a tamaring concentrate that will last you practically for ever and you can make delish chutneys with it)
Sugar - 1 tbsp or so
Salt to taste
2 tsps of curry powder - I grind my own spices but curry powder will be easier for starts.
1 small onion finely chopped
3 tomatoes finely chopped
assorted veggies of your choice - about a cup
2 tbsp of oil
3 cups of water
cilantro for garnish

In a dutch oven or deeper pot add the oil. Once the oil is super hot add the mustard seeds, curry leaves and cumin seeds. Reduce the heat immediately and cover. The seeds will start to splutter. Next add the onions and cook them until almost translucent. Follow the onions by garlic and saute it until a nice golden color. Now add the curry powder and tomatoes, tamarind (1/2 tsp) or lime juice, chilis, salt, sugar, lentils and veggies. Stir to combine. You may need to add several cups of water to this. Let it come to a boil. Reduce and Cover the pot and let it cook for another 30 minutes on low so the flavors come together. Adjust salt, sugar, lime or tamarind amounts to your liking.

Pour in large bowls and top with some freshly chopped cilantro.

[Claire]

I do this often (this recipe looks good to me), and not only use it as a soup, but as a sort of base sauce for stews, meaning that I add carrots and chunks of meat and whatever other vegs allow (potatoes and cauliflower are a great combo, especially if you have vegetarian friends). I like to use "pretty" lentils when I can find them (i.e., yellow, red, white). Dal. Yakuta, one day we will meet. If you are ever in Galena, you must call me.

[Mel!]

Hello Mr Dove

The following is what I did, to copy the lentil soup, at our local Indian restaurant.

Ingredients
Orange lentils
Stock
Tumeric
Onions
Garlic
Oil
Fresh parsley, to sprinkle on top, of finished product.

Instructions
Chop onions and garlic.
Fry them in oil, until golden.
Put water and lentils and tumeric in a pot.
Simmer until lentils are cooked.
Add a stock cube.

Mel

[Billdolfski]

Mulligatwany?

[Uncle Bob]

Miss Yakuta...

I have toyed around with lentils with curry and cumin, but this sounds delicious. I have an Indian market close by, so I will be able to pull this one off. Thanks for posting the recipe!!

[Lady DeWinters]

This is my absolute favorite when it comes to making lentils. My mother-in-law always make it on special occasions. I like using red lentils but I've tried it with various ones and they taste just as good.

• 1 to 1/4 cup red lentils
• 1 (14 oz) can coconut milk
• 3 to 3/4 cups water
• 2 onions
• 2 garlic cloves
• 4 ripe tomatoes (coarsely chopped)
• 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
• 6 cardamon seed pods
• 1/2 cinnamon stick
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• dash of cumin seeds (garnish)

How to make the soup:

• Chop fine the onions and garlic
• Put onions, garlic, tomatoes, turmeric, cumin, cardamon, cinnamon stick, lentils and water into a large saucepan
• Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 20 mins or till lentils are soft
• Remove cardamon pods and cinnamon stick
• Puree lentil mixture in a blender or food processor
• Press soup through a strainer and return to another pan
• Reserve a bit of coconut milk for garnish
• Add rest of coconut milk to pan with lemon juice, sat and pepper
• Heat without boiling
• To serve: put mixture into a bowl, add in coconut milk, garnish with cumin seeds