Green Lentil Soup

This soup is delicious, although it doesn’t look it. I would rarely make this soup, because it's just protein. When J had his wisdom teeth pulled, I needed to find a way to get some protein into him. However, I’m not sure that eating soup when the temperature is 31°C/88°F is such a good idea.

This soup tastes identical to the ones we’ve tried in the Mediterranean restaurants we’ve visited. It’s mealy/floury from the lentils and is lightly spiced with a cumin seeds.

When making this soup, you have the option of keeping the lentils whole or liquidizing it to give a smoother soup. Whichever way you serve it, it’s delicious!

GREEN LENTIL SOUP

Makes 4-6 servings

Adapted from “Mediterranean – Food of the Sun”, by Janna Farrow

Ingredients

300 g (1 ½ c) green lentils

1 T oil

1 medium onion, peeled and diced

1-2 garlic cloves, crushed

4 t cumin seeds, bashed in a pestle and mortar

1 t turmeric

1 ½ T better than bouillon* - chicken/vegetable stock paste

Pinch of sugar

½ t chili flakes

Salt and pepper to taste

* Better than bouillon is a concentrated paste, which you add water to, to make a stock. If this is not available, use stock cubes or ready-made stock instead of water in step 2.

Method

1. Place the lentils in a large sauce pan. Cover the lentils with 2 inches of cold water. Bring the water to boil and allow to boil for 10 minutes, then turn the heat down to simmer for an additional 30 minutes. Drain and gently rinse with cold water.

2. Using the same large sauce pan, heat the oil and fry the onions and garlic until aromatic. Add the cumin seeds, then the pre-cooked lentils. Add just enough water/ready-made stock to cover the lentils, then add the remaining ingredients. Stir well until heated through, season to taste.

3. Either liquidize the soup or leave as it is. Serve warm with a crusty piece of bread. Enjoy!