Red Lentil Soup (serves 4)
Source: "a beautiful bowl of soup" by Paulette Mitchell
A most excellent lentil soup, always pleases your guests. "Lentils without onions are like a dance without music."
2 TBL olive oil
2 cups finely chopped onions
3 cloves minced garlic
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground coriander
6 cups vegetable stock
2 cups dried red lentils (rinse before using)
2 carrots finely chopped
1/2 bunch fresh cilantro chopped
1/4 cup lemon juice
Salt and Pepper to taste
Pinch of dry red chili flakes
Saute the onions and garlic in the olive oil until onions are translucent. Add the cumin and coriander to the onions, stir for another minute.
Stir in the vegetable stock, the lentils, carrots, cilantro, and red pepper flakes. Increase the heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are tender (about 30 minutes). Remove from heat, add the lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Serve hot. This soup also gets better with time, so make a big pot and keep it in the refrigerator for days of excellent eating.
You may use brown lentils (they are easier to find), if so, increase the cooking time to make them tender.
An optional garnish is thinly sliced onion, fried until lightly browned, with crisp pita bread chips.