Red Lentil Soup With African Spices Recipes

Steps:

• Pair this soup with a salad and bread for lunch or a light supper. 1. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and 1 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened but not browned, about 5 minutes. Add coriander, cumin, ginger, cinnamon, cayenne, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Stir in tomato paste and garlic and cook for 1 minute. Stir in broth, water, and lentils and bring to simmer. Simmer vigorously, stirring occasionally, until lentils are soft and about half are broken down, about 15 minutes. 2. Whisk soup vigorously until it is coarsely pureed, about 30 seconds. Stir in lemon juice and season with salt and extra lemon juice to taste. Cover and keep warm. (Soup can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. Thin soup with water, if desired, when reheating.) 3. Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter in small skillet. Remove from heat and stir in mint and paprika. Ladle soup into individual bowls, drizzle each portion with 1 teaspoon spiced butter, sprinkle with cilantro, and serve.

Steps:

• Pick over the lentils, place them in a colander and rinse several times, until the water runs clear.
• Place a medium pot over medium heat. Add the 2 tablespoons of olive oil and, once hot, add the onion and sauté for about four minutes until softened. Next, season with the salt and add the minced garlic. Cook for a minute more and then add the spices. Stirring frequently cook for two minutes more, or, until the onions and garlic are well caramelized and the spices become fragrant.
• To the pot add the tomato paste and cook briefly until the paste caramelizes as well (the tomato paste will help thicken the soup). Stir in the broth (chicken or vegetable) and the water. Next, add the rinsed lentils. Bring the pot to a simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes, or, until the lentils are completely soft and broken down. (Red lentils cook faster than other varieties)
• Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice and zest. Taste and adjust the seasoning--add more salt or spices if necessary (I usually do).
• When ready to serve, heat 2 TBSP. of olive oil in a small skillet and stir in the paprika. Remove from the heat.
• Ladle the soup into four warm bowls, drizzle each portion with the seasoned olive oil, sprinkle with the fresh cilantro, and serve.