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Dal or Lentil Soup

This is a recipe I use for a quick cheap supper when I just can?t think of anything else to make. I can?t say my family ?just loves it? but I really enjoy it and Redman says he doesn?t hate it even if it is vegetarian. It?s kind of like dal (Indian lentil soup) but since I?ve only even had two versions of it, one really thick and heavy and too spicy and the other rather light and lemony, this is my own (not terribly authentic) version, which tends more to the light and lemony. It?s also a bit like the chick pea soup they serve at the end of Ramadan, but without the tomato.

I told my dad about it and he wanted me to pass it along to my brother. Since he?s probably the only one who?s ever going to read this thing, here it is.

Ingredients:

  • olive oil, about 1 tablespoon
  • 1 large cooking onion ? inch dice
  • 1 can lentils, drained, reserving liquid
  • 1 medium-sized potato peeled and diced into ? inch cubes
  • 3 Bovril packets or cubes dissolved in 3 cups boiling water (if you have real chicken or turkey stock use that, it?s way nicer, but who has that every day?)
  • 1 can chick peas, drained, reserving liquid
  • 1 celery heart: the internal ribs complete with leaves, coarsely chopped
  • juice of one medium-sized lemon*
  • knob of butter

Seasoning:

  • Crushed garlic clove or garlic powder
  • salt
  • Curry powder
  • Turmeric
  • Cumin
  • Corainder seed (optional)
  • chopped fresh cilantro or parsley (if you hate cilantro)
  • Coarsely ground black pepper
  • A pinch of cinnamon if you like
  • Hot pepper flakes if you want it spicy
  • Worcestershire sauce

Method:

In a heavy saucepan heat the olive oil over medium-high heat and saut? the diced onion until translucent. Do not allow to brown. Add the crushed garlic (with some salt) at this point and the other seasonings ? curry, turmeric, cumin, cracked coriander seeds - about a dash to a ? tsp or of each but I?ll leave this to your discretion. Turmeric is probably what you want most of, and if you are using a ?green? curry you can probably omit the cumin since it already has a lot in it. (Cumin has the tendency to make a dish smell like a Turkish janitor?s armpit but it is an essential flavour in this dish, just use it with discretion. I happen to like it a lot though I don?t have a personal preference for Turkish janitors.) If you are using hot pepper flakes put them in now as well. Stir everything well until you get a nice golden colour to your onions from the seasonings and olive oil. It should be very fragrant.

Add the drained lentils and potatoes and combine for a minute or so. You want the potato to take on a bit of the seasoning. Add a bit of the drained liquid at this point if it is a bit dry. Add the chicken stock, add a few dashes of Worcestershire sauce and cover. Reduce heat and simmer for about 20 minutes, until the potato chunks are tender. They are primarily there to act as a thickener.

You need to puree about half of this base. If you have one of those cool blender wands, put it right into the pot and buzz it until some of the liquid is pureed, but you still want to see some chunks in there! If you need to use a blender or food processor, remove about 1 ? cups of the base and it allow to cool a bit before putting it into the blender. Pulse it gently, it doesn?t need to be absolutely smooth! Return the pureed liquid to the pot. If you don?t have a blender at all don?t worry too much, just cook everything a bit longer at this point as the lentils and potatoes will probably pretty much break down on their own.

Add the drained chick peas heat through, and any of the reserved liquid if the mixture is too thick. Add chopped celery and if you are using cilantro, add that now. I find the celery gives enough of a fresh flavour and the leaves are ALMOST like cilantro without that strong taste cilantro sometimes has. If you really hate cilantro don?t use it, but do by all means use the celery leaves, since they add that essential fresh taste, plus the chopped celery adds a nice crunch. A tablespoon of chopped fresh parsley (omit if using cilantro) also is a nice touch if you have it. Dry parsley flakes are also fine, but probably add more colour than anything! Adjust the seasonings at this point.

Just before serving, add the juice of one lemon* and combine. Finish with the knob of butter until just melted. Serve with crusty bread, toasted pita wedges or papadoms if you are lucky enough to get them.

*Here are some tips for getting the most juice out of a lemon, just in case you never watched the Food Network: first heat the lemon in your microwave on low for about 30 seconds. It?s probably a good idea to poke the skin with the point of a sharp knife first so you don?t have any explosions. Pressing down firmly with the palm of your hand, roll the lemon around on your counter top to loosen up the pulp. Cut the lemon in half around the ?equator? and squeeze halves into a bowl. Sticking a fork into the pulp helps. Be sure to strain out pips and pulp before adding to the soup.

Filed under Recipes, Jan 10, 2005
 

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