I’ve really been looking forward to posting this soup. The first time I made it last summer, it was too spicy for me, but Colm couldn’t stop swooning over it. He might have gone back for thirds. Now I tone down the cayenne and he adds more to his own bowl.
I teach this recipe in my cooking classes and it’s always a hit as the main dish. It’s adapted from a simple red lentil soup recipe in “Ayurvedic Cooking for Self Healing” by the dynamic duo of Ayurvedic food, Usha Lad and Dr. Vasant Lad. It’s one of the great dishes that kept us going through our first chilly winter in the UK, but it’s great in the summer, too.
I love putting sweet potato and zucchini (courgette) in my Indian soups, but white potato, peas, asparagus, cabbage, chopped squash, and many other veggies are options. Go with what sounds good.
You can find curry leaves at your local Asian or Indian grocer, or order them online. I’ve had a hard time finding them in conventional or normal health food stores, but every Asian market I’ve been in has them.
Ayurvedic Red Lentil Soup with Vegetables
Adapted from “Ayurvedic Cooking for Self-Healing” by Usha Lad and Dr. Vasant Lad
For Masala Powder:
The masala mix for this soup should contain equal parts ground cloves, cardamom, bay leaf, black pepper and cinnamon, plus cayenne pepper: 1/4 to 1 teaspoon depending on the heat units of the cayenne (it varies) and what you can stand. If you have high Pitta symptoms (feel free to ask for more info), you might want to just leave it out. Grind all ingredients together in a clean coffee grinder, or with a mortar & pestle. Store in a glass jar.
Soup:
1 cup red lentils
water
2 tablespoons ghee (or sunflower oil)
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
1 pinches asafoetida
1 small yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
5 curry leaves, fresh or dried
1 handful cilantro leaves, chopped
1/2 – 1 teaspoon ground coriander seed
1 + 1/2 teaspoons turmeric
1 teaspoon masala powder
1 small sweet potato, cut into ½ inch cubes
1 medium courgette, sliced in 1/4 inch rounds
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
optional: Lime wedges, chopped cilantro and Bragg’s Liquid Aminos (or a mild soy sauce) for garnish
Wash the beans. For easier digestion, soak them for several hours or overnight.
Heat the oil over medium in a soup pot, then add the black mustard, cumin seeds and asafoetida. When the mustard seeds pop (they really will pop – they might even jump right out of the pot!), stir in the onion and cook until browned. Add the garlic and cook a minute or two more. Add the curry leaves, cilantro, ground coriander seed, turmeric and masala powder. Cook another minute or two, until the spices have released their oils and aromas. Add the lentils and vegetables and cover with water. Bring to a boil, add the coconut and salt. Cover, reduce heat and simmer until the lentils have broken down and the vegetables are soft, 30 – 60 minutes. If you like a thicker soup, cook a bit longer; thinner, add some water for desired consistency.
Serve with basmati rice & ghee or whole grain bread. Garnish with a squirt of Bragg’s Liquid Aminos if you want a bit of extra salt and a nice earthy flavor. Lime wedges add more depth with a bit of sour, and extra chopped fresh cilantro takes the edge off the cayenne.
As long as it’s not too spicy, this soup is tridoshic (good for all doshas). Kapha-types should try it with white potato and peas or asparagus.
