I like easy. Homemade stocks rock!
I've been living off this soup for the last week or so. Made it twice so far and have been having it for breakfast. It's delicious!
Taj Mahal Soup
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 med onion, peeled and minced
1 1 1/2-inch piece fresh ginger root, peeled and minced
1 1/2 tsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. ground turmeric
1/2 tsp. ground coriander
1/2 tsp. cayenne
1 cup dried lentils, rinsed and drained
3/4 lb. yellow squash or zuchini, thinly sliced
1 10-oz pkg. frozen spinach, partially thawed
4 cups chicken broth
1 1-oz can whole tomatoes
1 1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken (optional. I did not include chicken this time)
In a large, heavy saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion, ginger, and garlic and cook until soft, 3-5 minutes. Add cumin, turmeric, coriander, and cayenne and stir to blend. Add lentils, squash, spinach, chicken broth, and tomatoes and heat to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer 50 minutes. Add chicken, if desired, and heat thoroughly.
Although 4 cups of stock is no where near enough. I finished all my home made chicken stock on it too... wahh... need to make more.
Zhizara said:I'm starting a pot of 15 bean soup today. It's 68° so it's definitely soup weather.
Lol! This cracked me up Zhizara! "68" here is Summer!
PrincessFiona: ok, 15 types of beans....?!!! so how many cups of beans might that be in the soup? (and thanks to you, I'm starting this week going out looking for as many types of beans as I can find....I especially like the Mideast market for this, or an East Indian groceteria).
I often make dals for a Buddhist monastery nearby. Not very good at dal yet, but I keep trying. I've noticed that different types of yellow lentils cook up differently: some to mush very quickly, others stay firmer.
PrincessFiona60 said:I don't know, I have my mixture and I just measure them out. If I was mixing my own beans, I would get about a pound of each each at the bulk food store and mix them. Then I would use 2 cups of the mixed beans to make my soup. Most often I just pick up an already mixed package of 15 bean soup, about 2 pounds worth.
Lol! This cracked me up Zhizara! "68" here is Summer! I do love bean soup though, the one we make is 13 Bean Soup and it was always the star of our Ski Holidays. Great for warming you up at lunch time!