Curried Sweet Potato, Carrot & Red Lentil Soup with Ginger
Sorry guys, it’s taken me awhile to get this soup up – I keep getting requests for it, and understandably – it’s one of my absolute favourites, one I should really have a stash of at all times. It’s the perfect midwinter soup – warm and sippable with protein and spice and beta carotene and all good things. (You may recognize the photo from a year-old issue of Parents Canada-taken out in Tofino! SIGH.) Print this recipe out RIGHT NOW and stick it on your fridge. Please.
In case you didn’t know – it seems a great many people are less familiar with dried lentils than I am – red lentils don’t need to be presoaked. Having been split in half, they can be tossed straight into the soup and cooked along with the vegetables. Take this soup with you to go in an insulated coffee mug to keep it warm.
Curried Sweet Potato, Carrot & Red Lentil Soup with Ginger
canola or olive oil, for cooking
1 medium onion, chopped
1-2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 Tbsp. grated fresh ginger
1/2 cup dry red lentils
1 medium dark-fleshed sweet potato, peeled and cut into chunks
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 tsp. curry paste or powder, or to taste
4 cups (1 L) chicken or vegetable stock
salt, to taste
1/4-1/2 cup half & half, plain yogurt or heavy cream (optional)In a medium pot, heat a drizzle of oil over medium-high heat and sauté the onion, garlic and ginger for 3-4 minutes, until soft. Add the lentils, sweet potato, carrots, curry paste and stock, along with a cup of water. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat down, cover and simmer for half an hour, until the vegetables are very tender.
Season with salt, add the half & half (if you’re using it) and use a hand-held immersion blender to puree it right in the pot. Alternatively, transfer it in batches to a blender and puree until smooth or mash it roughly with a potato masher.
Serve hot. Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to a week, or cooled and frozen for up to 6 months. Serves 4.
Per serving: 241 calories, 4.4 g fat (1 g saturated fat, 2.2 g monounsaturated fat, 1.1 g polyunsaturated fat), 13.5 g protein, 37 g carbohydrates, 7 mg cholesterol, 5.4 g fiber
February 02 2011 | soup | 15 Comments »
