Curried Lentil Soup

I’ve been traveling a lot over the past month, mostly for job interviews. Looking for a job on the West Coast while living on the East Coast is maybe a little bit crazy, but hey, it’s worth it. DC isn’t a bad place, but I can’t wait to get back to Seattle and all of its wonderful particularities. Not to mention the abundance of farmers’ markets, and fabulous coffee to be found on every other corner!

Jet-setting is fun for a few weeks, but it takes its toll as well: the jet-lag, the screaming baby on the redeye flight, the work that needs finishing when you return . . . October arrived, things finally calmed down, I was about to recover from my exhaustion—and then the weather turned in DC. My poor immune system couldn't handle the combination, and I got hit with a classic case of the common cold. What to do? Make soup, of course.

I made a big batch that got me through three days of the sniffles. This soup is flavorful enough to be tasty even with a cold, and spicy enough to give your sinuses a little jolt. Plus, the red lentils, curry, and turmeric give it a lovely, happy yellow color. I recommend making this at least a night in advance; as with many soups, this one gets more flavorful as it sits for a day or two. For best results, use Zoe’s homemade vegetable stock; my cold was coming on fast, though, so I resorted to the stuff in a box (with the lowest sodium content I could find—I’d rather add my own salt if whatever I’m making needs it).

To continue my habit of sharing my musical cooking experience with you, I was listening to The Wild Hunt by The Tallest Man on Earth while chopping and stirring. It's a great album for the onset of fall.

Ingredients

2 cups red lentils, rinsed and picked over for stones
4 cups vegetable broth

1 large red onion, finely chopped

4 celery stalks, finely chopped

2 large carrots, peeled and finely chopped

2-3 garlic cloves, minced

¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro*

2 tbsp curry powder

2 tsp ground cumin

2 tsp turmeric

1 tsp cayenne pepper

juice of one lemon

*If you’re a cilantrophobe, you can substitute parsley or any fresh herb you particularly like. This soup is a regional mishmash that lends itself well to substitutions.

Instructions

Bring lentils, broth, and 4 cups water to a simmer in a large pot. Skim away any foam that rises to the top. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add onion, celery, carrots, and garlic; simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Add cilantro and spices, and cook 20 minutes more, or until lentils are soft. If you have more time, turn heat to low and continue simmering. Season with salt and pepper to taste and stir in lemon juice before serving.

Choppings

Tip: Fresh herbs last about twice as long if you store them in a jar of water in the fridge. Brilliant!

Love this color.

I had this with salty crackers, but it’d be even better with warm crusty bread that you can use to mop it up.

Enjoy,

KB