Lentil Soup

Ingredients

• 1/2 cupMasoor daal (skin on)
• 1/2Onion (finely chopped)
• 1 stalkCelery (finely chopped)
• 1carrot (finely chopped)
• 1tomato
• 6cloves of garlic finely chopped
• 1 tbspcoriander seeds
• 1 tbspcumin seeds
• 1 tspkashmiri red chilli powder or paprika powder (I just use red chilli powder)
• Vegetable or chicken stock
• Salt to taste
• 1/2lemon

Instructions

1. 1

   Soak the daal and keep it aside while you get the other things ready.

2. 2

   Toast the coriander and cumin seeds and grind to a coarse powder.

3. 3

   In some olive oil (1 spoon, very little just to saute the onions), saute the onions, celery, carrots and garlic. Stir for a few minutes just till it becomes soft. You don’t want any browning here, if you notice that make sure you stir it around.

4. 4

   Now add in the tomato and stir till it becomes soft

5. 5

   Add all the spices and give it a nice stir

6. 6

   Add the daal (drain the water before adding).

7. 7

   Stir it around. Now add the stock (vegetable or chicken).

8. 8

   Close the pot and let it simmer for 25-30 minutes till it is nice and tender.

9. 9

   Now add a nice squeeze of lemon. I also just throw in the remaining lemon after i squeeze the juice in just so it simmers in the pot. Add in coriander or parsley leaves finely chopped (I tend to prefer parsley here). And keeping the lid on turn off the gas and let it sit in its steam for five minutes before serving.