Monday, December 12, 2011

Curried Coconut Lentil Soup


It's soup weather.

Translation: it's cold and rainy and December, so all you want to eat is something warm and comforting!

This is the kind of weather that makes it tough to get out of bed (especially if you attended KROQ's Almost Acoustic Xmas last night). And unfortunately, it's raining on my farmers market parade. I will probably hit Whole Foods later in the day instead.

The Adorable Monster has the right idea—he's snoozing on the sofa, curled up into a tight bundle of fluffiness.

So I thought I'd write up this recipe that I made the other week for today. It's a Curried Coconut Lentil Soup. Even though this soup is vegan, the curry seasonings, fresh ginger, and coconut milk imbue it with a rich, creamy flavor. I also added quinoa (extra protein and fiber) to the mix.

This soup is sure to spice up any dreary winter day.


Curried Coconut Lentil Soup
Serves 6-8 people
Cooking time: about 50 minutes
Vegan; gluten-free
Print Recipe

Ingredients
  • 1 cup red split lentils
  • 1 cup yellow split peas
  • 1/2 cup quinoa
  • about 7 cups of filtered water
  • 1 medium carrot, peeled and chopped
  • 1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
  • 1 bell pepper, seeded and chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
  • 2 tablespoons fresh ginger, peeled and minced
  • 2 tablespoons curry powder
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil or extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 can (14 oz.) light coconut milk
  • 1 bay leaf
  • fresh chopped cilantro for garnishing
  • salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions
  1. In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, and bell pepper and saute until beginning to soften (about 5 minutes). Add the garlic, ginger, and curry powder and stir to combine. Cook for one or two more minutes.
  2. Rinse the lentils and split peas until the water is no longer murky. Add the lentils, split peas, quinoa, and bay leaf to the pot. Cover with water and bring to boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for about 30 minutes, or until the split peas are soft.
  3. Stir in the coconut milk and bring to a simmer. Cook uncovered for about 20 minutes or so, allowing the soup to thicken to desired consistency. If it becomes too thick, then more water can be added (though I like this soup nice and thick).
  4. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper. To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and top with the chopped cilantro. Enjoy!

4 comments:

  1. That looks amazing! How was the concert?

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  2. I love this recipe! I may make it again this week!

    And the concert was amazing. Florence stole the show, but also very much enjoyed Mumford, Death Cab, Foster the People, and Jane's.

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  3. Made this tonight with homemade curry powder and it was so delicious!!!! Perfect for cold, wintery nights up here in Canada! Fabulous recipe! Thanks! :D

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  4. Glad you loved the recipe! I'm making it again this week, too. It is perfect for December, isn't it?

    Thanks for trying it out and letting me know how it went. And you must share your recipe for homemade curry powder.

    xx

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