My first soup of fall! The truth is, I was starting to make Red Lentil Dal and added too much chicken stock. So, I just adjusted the ingredients a bit and turned it into a soup. It was delicious and made me even more excited for fall flavors and foods.
Now, why is it that they are called red lentils when they are a beautiful orange? Would it be so bad to call them orange lentils? A further mystery… they turn yellow once cooked, even without the addition of curry. hmmm (All this speculation from a redhead who spent much of her childhood announcing that her hair is more orange and not red and that carrot tops are actually green.)
I served this soup with a yummy nibbling plate of cured olives, crunchy toasted bread and slices of sausage.
Curried Red Lentil Soup
1 1/4 cups red lentils
3 cups chicken stock
1 teaspoon curry
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1/2 teaspoon cumin, ground
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
salt and pepper to taste
Rinse and drain lentils. Put them in a pot with chicken stock and curry. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until lentils are tender, about 10-15 minutes. Stir in additional ingredients and simmer for an additional few minutes. I like it garlic-y and spicy. Add more of any of the spices to your liking.