Red Lentil Soup

This is daal, minus a few essential seasonings.

Best made by sautéing the onions, then adding ginger and garlic paste to taste; sautéing fresh chopped tomatoes (no paste); adding spices (turmeric, coriander powder, chili powder, a touch of cinnamon if you like) once the oil has taken on the red color from the tomatoes and the vegetables have a glazed appearance.

Not enough salt in this recipe.

Make a simple chutney with yogurt, green chilies and cilantro.

Was looking forward to this making this, and after seeing the comments, made a few changes...used chicken stock, and, instead of water, one 14oz. can of diced tomatoes and more stock. I used 3 carrots instead of 1, and didn't bother to blend....and added a bag of spinach, finished with grated parm, and it was fabulous.

This is a very tasty recipe but I have two suggestions:
1. There is too much liquid for the amount of lentils; therefore add one or two small potatoes, diced, to give the soup more body.
2. Step 4 - No need for more mess of moving half the soup into another pot; get the same rougher consistency by pureeing in one pot but in short bursts until somewhat, but not entirely smooth.

This recipe makes 4 small bowls of soup. Double the recipe to serve 4-6

Absolutely delicious! I will never buy lentil soup again. This soup is better than any I've had at any Persian, Arabic or other mediterranian restaurant.
I did add an extra 2 cloves of garlic, extra 1/4 c of lentils, an extra carrot, and used 1/4 tsp chili powder, 1/4 tsp cayenne, and 1/4 tsp of kebab spices ( mostly coriander and cumin)
Consistency and flavor were perfect!

I followed the suggestion to use 2 carrots, 3 garlic cloves, and 5 cups of chicken broth, 1.5 cup red lentil and no water. I grated my carrots and sauteed it with the garlic and onion. I normally don't like red lentils, but this was fantastic. The lemon really rounded the soup. Will make this again.

Jules: for this quantity (1 cup lentils), a couple of plum tomatoes should do. Important to get nice juicy ripe tomatoes, and to sauté all the vegetables until the oil rises to the top and takes on the red tomato color, otherwise it will retain a somewhat raw taste no matter how long you simmer the soup. That first step ensures the full release of flavor of the spices.

I ate this soup almost every day in Turkey, where sumac and/or mint are added at the end. Sumac is not hard to find in the US (Whole Foods carries it), and adds a lovely tartness more mellow than lemon. The mint is also a nice touch.

You'll get more color out of the carrot and the tomato paste than the lentils. Red lentils fade rapidly to pale pink and then yellow as they are exposed to prolonged heat. But forget their color, it's the flavor and texture that makes them so desirable. If you want more red bump up the tomato or add some sweet smoked Spanish paprika--the subtle smoke note is terrific with lentils of all hues.

We like to zest the lemon as well. The brightness of flavor this adds is incredible. The flavor just explodes in your mouth!

I make this all the time. At the end I often add fish (a pound of tilapia works nicely) to make a rich one-pot dinner - like a thick chowder. (The fish cooks in the hot soup.) I like things spicy so I then adjust the seasonings (including the amount of lemon) accordingly; and I let the volume reduce a bit by not covering the pot tightly when simmering.

Just made this for the first time, and it was delicious. I understand that some people do not like cilantro, but it really does benefit from that flavour, as well as the lemon juice. Keep those two ingredients in there, and you won't be sorry! I followed the recipe exactly, and didn't find it too thin. I have leftovers, and keep going back to the pot for another spoonful. I will say that it gets thicker as it cools. Highly recommend, and will definitely make again.

After I used the immersion blender, I added a bunch of lacinato kale torn into small pieces and cooked for a few more minutes until wilted. Delicious!

I have made this soup at least 3 dozen times, always yielding the same delicious results. It freezes beautifully making it a great option for make-ahead menu item or impromtu dinner party. In addition to the cilantro, I like to garnish with toasted pepitas. It's so good I've served it as light lunch item on Thanksgiving.

This is such an easy, healthy, inexpensive soup. I add two tablespoons of barley to give it a little silkiness. Also use ground chipotle pepper. I cook this in my pressure cooker for about 9 minutes, which results in no need for the immersion blender step.