This spinach and lentil soup is a staple in my home and features on a regular basis whether it's summer or winter.
While the soup is hearty, it's certainly not heavy and can be eaten either as a meal in itself or as a light starter.
The soup is flavored with ginger, cilantro, cumin seeds and garam masala. Garam masala is a blend of aromatic Indian spices including cumin, cilantro seeds, cardamom, black pepper and cinnamon. It is usually added to dishes at the end of cooking.
The recipe calls for the use of red split lentils, also known as "masoor daal".
Ingredients:
- 1 brown onion, diced
- 1 Tbsp freshly grated ginger
- 3 tsp of cumin seeds
- 1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
- 4 cups of water
- 4 cups of vegetable or chicken stock
- 1 1/3 cup of red split lentils (masoor)
- 1 1/4 tsp of sea salt
- 1 Tbsp of garam masala
- 1 bunch of baby spinch, roughly chopped
- 1/4 cup of chopped, fresh cilantro (coriander)
Preparation:
- Heat the oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Saute the onions until translucent, or for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the ginger and cumin seeds. Stir fry for about 2 minutes.
- Add water and stock to the saucepan and bring to the boil.
- Place the lentils in a sieve and wash under cold, running water for about 30 seconds. Add the lentils and salt to the saucepan and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the garam masala and stir well. If the mixture becomes thick, add another 1/2 cup of water.
- Turn down the heat to low and add the spinach. Gently simmer for another 3 minutes or until the spinach wilts. Stir in the cilantro just before serving. Ladle into bowls and serve.
