Red lentils quickly turn to mush when you cook them, so they are perfect for soup. Here's my MIL's recipe for Red Lentil soup. It is very yummy, and you could make a meal of it with salad and pita bread on the side, or serve it as a starter:
Hiyam's Lentil Soup
Don't be afraid to experiment with this recipe - it is a great way to use up left-over vegetables from the fridge.
Ingredients
2 T olive oil, plus more to garnish
1 medium onion, chopped coarsely
2 cups dried red lentils, rinsed
Water
1 carrot, chopped coarsely
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
Salt
1 lemon, quartered
Fresh parsley, chopped finely
Directions
Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a medium-sized saucepan over medium-high heat, and then sauté the onions until translucent.
Pour the lentils into the pan, and then add enough water to cover the lentils by about half an inch.
Bring the mixture to a boil, and then reduce the heat to a simmer.
Add the carrot, cumin, and salt to taste. If you are using additional vegetables, you can add them at this point, too. Cook the soup until the carrot is soft; this will take about 20 minutes.
Remove the soup from the heat, and puree in small batches until smooth. Serve immediately, drizzled with additional olive oil, a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, and chopped parsley.
Hiyam's Lentil Soup
Don't be afraid to experiment with this recipe - it is a great way to use up left-over vegetables from the fridge.
Ingredients
2 T olive oil, plus more to garnish
1 medium onion, chopped coarsely
2 cups dried red lentils, rinsed
Water
1 carrot, chopped coarsely
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
Salt
1 lemon, quartered
Fresh parsley, chopped finely
Directions
Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a medium-sized saucepan over medium-high heat, and then sauté the onions until translucent.
Pour the lentils into the pan, and then add enough water to cover the lentils by about half an inch.
Bring the mixture to a boil, and then reduce the heat to a simmer.
Add the carrot, cumin, and salt to taste. If you are using additional vegetables, you can add them at this point, too. Cook the soup until the carrot is soft; this will take about 20 minutes.
Remove the soup from the heat, and puree in small batches until smooth. Serve immediately, drizzled with additional olive oil, a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, and chopped parsley.