Somewhere between the famous Mulligatawny Soup of the mixed-race Anglo-Indians and the soupy lentil-tomato-pasta dish, dal dholki, of the vegetarians of the western state of Gujarat, lies this soup. It is made with red lentils and tomatoes and may be served with a dollop of plain white rice or with some cooked pasta (pappardelle, noodles, macaroni) added to the soup just before it is heated for serving. This soup, plus a salad, makes for a perfect lunch or supper. There are three simple steps to follow here. First you boil up the lentils. As they cook, you sauté the seasonings. Then you combine the two and blend them.
Recipe information
Yield
serves 4¿6
Ingredients
For Boiling the Lentils
For Sauteing the Seasonings
For Finishing off the Soup
Preparation
Step 1
Put the lentils and stock in a pan and bring to a boil. Skim off the white froth and add the turmeric, carrots, and cilantro. Stir, cover partially, and turn heat to low. Cook for 45 minutes.
Step 2
While lentils are cooking, pour the oil into a frying pan and set on medium heat. When hot, put in the onions. Stir and fry until the pieces turn brown at the edges. Take pan off the heat and add the ginger, cumin, coriander, curry powder, and cayenne. Return the pan to the heat and stir for a minute. Add the tomatoes and 1/2 cup water. Cook, stirring now and then on medium heat, until the tomatoes are soft. Turn off heat.
Step 3
When the lentils have cooked for 45 minutes, empty the contents of the frying pan into the lentil pan, stir, cover, and cook on low heat for 10 minutes, adding salt to taste. Blend the soup, adding another 3/4 cup stock or water to swish out the remains sticking to the blender. Reheat the soup, stirring as you do so.
