As a vegetarian, lentils are one of my favorite non-soy sources of protein. They are incredibly flexible; however, the staples, like this Lentil Soup, are still wonderful classics. Almost every culture has a version of lentil soup. Serve it up with a good piece of bread and you’ve got a good meal.
Lentil Soup
Recipe is originally from the Moosewood Restaurant Cooks at Home
Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup lentils
6 cups water
3 bay leaves
2 slices fresh ginger root, each about the size of a quarter
1 cup grated carrot
1 cup canned chopped tomatoes, undrained
1 1/2 cups chopped onions
2 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 1/2 tsp ground coriander
pinch of cayenne
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
salt and ground pepper to taste
Rinse lentils. Put them in a soup pot with the water, bay leaves, and ginger. Cover and place on high heat.
Prepare the carrots and tomatoes and add them to the pot. Bring to a boil, stir, reduce heat, and simmer, covered, for 15 to 20 minutes, until the lentils are tender.
While the vegetables simmer, heat olive oil in a heavy skillet on medium heat. Add onions, cook for about 10 minutes, or until browned. Add the cumin, coriander, and cayenne and saute for another minute, stirring to prevent sticking. Remove from heat.
When lentils are tender, remove the bay leaves and ginger from pot. Stir in sauteed onions and lemon juice. Add salt and pepper. Serve hot.