July 13, 2010

Summer Lentil Soup

Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem


Whoah. When did that happen? Somewhere in between experimenting with veggies, berry picking and long road trips, Summer quietly crept up on us and here we are in the middle of July. I can hardly beleive it myself and then I look at the types of food I've been preparing and it makes more sense to me. Quick simple meals that require as little stove/oven heat as possible. Meals that are full of fresh produce, that are light on your tongue yet still leave you feeling satisfied.


 

Lentil soup isn't usually considered a summer dish, but there's something about the tangy lemon juice and the zing of the dill that seems so quintessential summer to me. Or maybe it's because this dish comes together so quickly and that's really what I'm looking for in a good, summer meal. Serve this with a hunk of crusty bread on the side, and dinner is ready!



Lentil Soup, My Way
Feel free to adjust any and all seasoning to your liking. We like ours spicy and tangy!

1 cup split red lentil (Masoor Daal)
1 medium sized onion, diced
1 tomato, diced
1/2 tsp garlic paste
1/2 tsp ginger paste
1/4 chopped cilantro
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/2 - 1 tsp red chili powder or 2 green chili's chopped
1 1/2 tsp dill
2 tblsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt, to taste
1/4 tsp black pepper, to taste
1 cup water, or more as needed

1. Saute the onions in oil of your choice, until translucent.

2. Add lentils, salt, pepper, garlic, ginger, turmeric, chili powder and dill. Still to combine and allow to cook until aromatic, about 30 seconds.

3. Add chopped tomatoes and lemon juice, still to combine. Add water and cover.

4. Cook on medium high heat until boiling, then reduce to medium low heat. Keep an eye on it to see if you need more water and stir often to check for sticking on the bottom. After about 15 minutes, check for doneness: the lentils should be soft and tender.

5. At this point, add the cilantro and using an immersion hand held blender, blend to a smooth consistency. Alternatively, you can use a regular stand blender or leave as is.

5 comments:

  1. SLM.
    ENJOYED YOUR BLOG.
    LOVELY RECIPES.
    WILL IT BE POSSIBLE FOR YOU TO SEND E-MAIL UP DATES.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Nice idea to add the lemon juice and dill; I'd like to try this insha'Allah.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anon: I think you can just subscribe via Google reader or something like that, right?

    UmmIbrahim: there's a south indian lentil dish where we use tomatoes and dill so I kinda just used that idea but blended it up in the end :) Gives a very nice, bright kick....try it out!

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  4. so yummy! we usually dont put tomatoes in it but hey it looks good lol. and if my husband doesnt see it he wont even notice lol!

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  5. Sam: lol! Once its blended you won't see 'em, so its all good ;)

    ReplyDelete

Tell me what you think! As always, feedback and reviews are appreciated...happy cooking!