Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Recipe: Red Lentil Curry Soup with Vegetables


"What is in this soup? There is such an interesting mix of flavors, textures, and colors", says my niece's boyfriend. What a nice compliment. However, I had to stop to think because I used what I had. I do use "what I have" in order to keep ingredients and bits and pieces moving through our refrigerator. It is very rare that something gets tossed into the compost pile (or worm bin) because it spoiled in our house.

It was good, very good. I am so glad I made a big pot of it!

Use this recipe as a guide, not gospel.
Ingredients:

2 cups frozen fish broth
4 cups frozen vegetable broth
1 quart canned tomatoes
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 small onions, peeled and chopped
6 small garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
1 - 15 oz. can large white beans, like cannellini, drained and rinsed to remove salt
1 cup frozen corn kernels
1 cup frozen chopped sweet red pepper pieces
1-2 cups frozen kale strips (fresh would also be great)
1 cup red lentils
1 Tbsp. sweet curry powder
1 small shake of hot curry powder
Salt to taste - use only a very small smidge to start (that is all I used, less than 1/8 teaspoon)

Directions:

(1) Thaw all broths, make your own or purchase some vegetable and/or fish broth. (the added fish broth did add a real depth to this soup's flavor)
(2) In large soup pot. heat olive oil, then lightly sauté onion and garlic.
(3) Add all broths, canned tomatoes, canned beans, frozen vegetables (except kale). lentils, and curry powder to soup pot.
(4) Bring to boil and simmer 20-30 minutes or so until red lentils are thoroughly cooked and soft.
(5) Add kale 5-10 minutes prior to eating. Do not overcook or overheat from this point forward so that the kale retains its beautiful green color.
(6) Salt to taste and add more curry powder if desired (sweet or hot per your family's tastes)


(Photo: Red Lentil Curry Soup with Vegetables - oops, I see a bay leaf that I must have added to the broths that needs to be removed prior to serving!)

This recipe as I have written it out makes a lot of soup. Don't let that keep you from making it. Freeze extra in meal-size containers for your family or single serving size containers. It will keep in the refrigerator for ~5 days or so, so you can also have lots available for quick lunches all week long. Enjoy - I just love the smell of curry wafting through the house. :-)

"Cultivate your life - you are what you grow - inch by inch, row by row"

Diana Dyer, MS, RD

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