The Lean Veggie - Simple Lentil Soup

There is nothing more wonderful than a saturday at home away from work, and a bowl of lentil soup to warm you up at the end of winter's day. This recipe is incredibly simple to prepare - really, the only effort needed is towards chopping. It is a one pot meal, but you can definitely indulge with some toasted bread on the side. The spices in this recipe are muted - enough to tingle your taste buds, but perfectly mild, especially when you feel overdosed from too many sambar-curry meals.

I chop the carrots a little larger than usual. I do not want them to completely disintegrate during the cooking process. The leeks can be subsituted with finely chopped onions. I used leeks, and did not add cumin seeds, as I wanted to make this dish taste a little different from the usual dhals I make. I used brown lentils - you can find these in some indian stores, and definitely in the international foods aisle of any major grocery store. These lentils cook up quickly, and have a delicate nutty flavor.

(Serves 2 with leftovers)

Ingredients -
Brown lentils - 1 cup
Finely chopped red onions - 1/4 cup (use 1/2 cup if omitting leeks)
Chopped leeks - 1 cup loosely packed (make sure you clean the leeks very well)
Grated ginger - 1 tsp
Crushed chopped garlic cloves - 2
Canned diced tomatoes - 3/4 cup
Peeled and diced carrots - 2 (about half cup)
Red chilli powder - 1/4 tsp
Black pepper powder - 1/4 tsp (or 3 turns of the pepper mill)
Coriander-cumin powder - 1 tbsp
Finely chopped cilantro - 2 tbsp
Salt - to taste

Method -

1) Take the lentils in a bowl. Heat 2 cups of water till almost boiling and pour over the lentils
2) In a large heavy bottom pan, or pressure pan, heat 1 tsp canola oil and 1 tsp olive oil. Use a little butter if olive oil is not available
3) Add the onions, leeks, ginger and garlic, a pinch of salt, and stir fry on low heat for about 5 minutes . Use this time to peel and chop the carrots
4) Add the carrots and tomatoes and stir fry for another 5 minutes
5) Drain the lentils, wash with plain water and add. Then, add salt, red chilli powder, pepper powder, coriander-cumin powder, and 1 cup of water
6) Stir well, close the pan with a lid and simmer till the lentils are done. Add a little more water if needed. The lentils need not get fully mushy, they just need to become tender while retaining their shape. Serve garnished with chopped cilantro.

If using a pressure pan, close the lid at the end of step 5, and pressure cook for a couple of whistles. When you open the pressure pan after sometime, you may find that the lentils have absorbed all the water. Just stir in another 1/3 cup of water before serving, and correct seasoning if needed.