This is a great soup — one of my all-time favorites. It’s a bit of work but it is absolutely worth it. What is most interesting about this soup and my recipe is that you hand-blend up-front and then cook the veggies and lentils after the first blending.
I also recommend this soup as a great starting point for anyone who wants to start with a hand-blender, the modern soup-maker’s secret weapon.
You can choose to blend the soup in the final step or not. If you want a more hearty soup with thick veggies, don’t blend it.
If you have a night ahead of time to soak the red lentils, do so. If you don’t think of it, don’t worry just go ahead and make the soup with dry lentils. Just make sure you cook it long enough for the lentils to soften. (If you soak the lentils in water the night before you make this, strain & wash them fully and use the strained lentils in step 7.)
1 PREP & PRODUCE:
• 1/2 medium white onion – CHOP!
• 2 big juicy tomatoes – CHOP!
• 5 garlic cloves – CHOP!
• 1 inch of ginger (chop off from the rest of your ginger first), then use a vegetable peeler to remove the skin (discard the skin). CHOP!
• 2 cups of ANY of veggies: zucchini, sweet potato, potatoes, carrots, eggplant, broccoli — CHOP! all of these into small or thin slices
(PRODUCE, NO PREP: packed baby spinach or other baby greens, see step 10)
(PANTRY: red lentils, peanut /almond nut butter, peanuts, sambal oelek or Asian chili sauce)
2 BEFORE YOU START:
• Blanche the tomatoes to remove the skins. (discard/compost the skins)
3 TO BEGIN
SAUTÉ 5-6 MINS:
• olive oil
• chopped onions
(about 5 mins)
4 THEN ADD:
• tomatoes
• garlic
• ginger
SALT & PEPPER & TASTE IT
AND * Blend using a hand-mixer *
(about 1 min or less)
5 THEN ADD:
• 1 tbsp sambal oelek or Asian chili sauce or other hot chile sauce to taste
• 1 tbsp tomato paste or ketchup
AND: *Blend using a hand-mixer for a second time* (1 min or less)
6 THEN ADD:
• 1.5 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 1 to 1.5 tsp Harissa Spice Blend
SALT & PEPPER & TASTE IT AGAIN
(mix with a ladle until smooth)
THEN: Cook 2 mins more
7 THEN ADD:
• 2.5 cups vegetable stock or water
• 1/4 cup peanut butter or almond butter
• 1 tbsp peanuts
• 1/2 cup red lentils
(mix with a ladle until smooth)
All of the chopped veggies (zucchini, sweet potato, potatoes, carrots, eggplant, broccoli)
SALT & PEPPER & TASTE IT
8 THEN COOK 15 MINUTES
(checking halfway through to add salt if it tastes bland)
9 (OPTIONALLY): BLEND AGAIN (for a third time) UNTIL SMOOTH (IF YOU WANT IT SMOOTH NOT CHUNKY)
10 ADD:
• 1 tsp or more lime or lemon juice
• 1/2 cup (15 g) packed baby spinach or other baby greens
11 FINALLY
COOK 5 MINUTES
The veggies should be cooked through. Cook longer if they are stiff or taste uncooked. Add more water if it seems dry.