Soup + Rain = <3
Is there any better way to spend a rainy evening than by mowing through a bowl of thick, creamy, soup speckled with curry, lentils and coconut milk? I didn’t think so. 
March seems to have tricked us into believing spring is here, what with it’s beautiful sunny days that last past 7pm. Unfortunately, as we ALL suspected, the coldish snowy, rainy, dreary weather has returned. Why not make the best of it by spending your last few weeks hanging over a pot of fragrant soup? I know I’ll miss being able to stand over a hot stove without going through menopausal-type hot flashes come summer time.
I got this recipe from http://101cookbooks.com [a truly inspiring blog focused mostly on healthy, whole foods] and will be adding it to my regular repertoire right…. now.
It turned out perfectly and ate like a meal. I was sufficiently full and satisfied when I was finished it.
Curried Coconut Red Lentil Soup
1 cup yellow split peas
1 cup red lentils
6 Cups water
1 medium carrot, medium diced
2 tablespoons ginger, peeled and minced
2 tablespoons curry powder
2 tablespoons butter
1 Cup scallions, thinly sliced
1/3 Cup tomato paste
1 can coconut milk
2 teaspoons, sea salt
Handful cilantro, chopped
1 cup cooked potted barley or farro [optional… but it really makes the soup ‘meal-like’]
Instructions:
Rinse your lentils until the water becomes less cloudy.
Add rinsed lentils to a pot and cover with the water. Bring to a boil. Add carrots and half the ginger. Cover and simmer for about a half hour. The lentils should be soft.
Put a dry skillet on the stove over low heat and add the curry powder. Toast until fragrant but do not burn. It should take about 3 minutes. Set aside.
Add the butter to the skillet until melted and bubbly. Add scallions and remaining ginger and sautee for a minute or two. Add tomato paste and sautee another minute. Add the toasted curry powder to this and stir well. Add the coconut milk and scallion/curry mixture to the lentils and let simmer, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes or until soup has thickened to your liking.
Serve on it’s own or ladled over farro, brown rice or barley.
Now go get curried away, won’t you? [haw haw!]
