Wintery Red Split Lentils and Turnip Soup

Another cold day, another warm soup! I realize that I posted a soup recipe last week already but to be perfectly honest with you, soups constitute about 50% of my diet as soon as the temperature drops. The other half is noodles, and even then I usually find a way to combine the two into noodle soup. So back to this soup, it actually kind of reminds me of home. My dad makes the best soups ever, and I tried to make it the way he probably would! I used a lot of Indian spices that he loves to cook with and two of his cooking staples turnips and lentils. This soup turned out to be a keeper. So since I’m going home tomorrow, I’ll make sure to bring my recipe notebook with me!

    

It is very different from my Carrot and Parsnip soup. I mean they obviously taste completely different, not to mention look nothing alike… The only commonality is that I used quite a bit of spices to give it more flavor. Red split lentils are great for texture but they don’t burst with flavor like other veggies would. That’s why they’re perfect to blend with spices. They soak up all the aroma and you end up with a mixture that almost transports you right to India. Curry, coriander, turmeric, celery seeds… What more can you ask for?

As with my previous soup, I used this batch as an excuse to hide a more unconventional vegetable. This time around, I used a turnip that was looking very lonely in my fridge. As it turns out, it gives just the right amount of “stronger” flavor to the soup. Since the ratio is very forgiving, you can also omit it if turnip’s aren’t your thing (I know a few people like that). It will still result in a thick, heart warming bowl of soup.

As always with my soup recipes, I portioned it to make a relatively large batch for one person. That way it lasts me a few meals during the week. Since I’m often on a tight schedule around lunchtime I always have a few frozen portioned containers ready to go. I think that’s probably why my soup addiction worsens when I’m at school. I simply re-heat them as soon as I get home and I have myself a comforting homemade meal in a matter of minutes. It’s the dream! Watch out though, because this might just turn you into a soup addict too! Bon appétit!

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Total time: 25 minutes

Ingredients: serves 4 bowls

• 1 turnip
• 1 cup red split lentils
• 2 1/2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1/4 onion
• 1/2 tsp celery seeds
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 1/2 tsp curry powder
• 1 tsp turmeric
• spicy oil (topping)
• crumbled feta (topping)
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Peel the turnip and roughly chop it into cubes. Mince the onion.
2. Heat some olive oil in a large pot. Add the onion and parsnip cubes and let everything soften and color for a few minutes. Add all the spices, stir, and let that get fragrant for a few more minutes.
3. Add the dried lentils and the broth. Bring to a simmer, cover, and let it cook for about 8-10 minutes. When the veggies are cooked through and the broth has reduced, add the water and blend it all together using an immersion blender. Adjust the seasoning.
4. Serve alongside a freshly toasted slice of sourdough, and topped with crumbled feta, some more black pepper, and a light drizzle of spicy oil. Enjoy!

“Soupe de lentilles corail et navet pour l’hiver”

Temps total: 25 minutes

Ingrédients: sert quatre bols

• 1 navet
• 1 tasse de lentilles corail sèches
• 2 1/2 tasses de bouillon de légumes
• 1 tasse d’eau bouillante
• 1/4 oignon
• 1/2 c.c de graines de celery
• 1 c.c de coriandre en poudre
• 1 1/2 c.c de curry en poudre
• 1/2 c.c de turmeric
• huile pimentée (garniture)
• feta émiettée (garniture)
• sel de mer et poivre noir fraichement moulu

Directions:

1. Pelez le navet et coupez le grossièrement en cubes. Emincez aussi l’oignon grossièrement.
2. Faites chauffer de l’huile dans un grande casserole. Ajoutez les oignons et navet et laissez le tout colorer et ramollir pendant quelques minutes. Ajoutez toutes les épices, mélangez et laisser cuire encore quelques minutes. Les arômes des épices vont se développer.
3. Ajoutez les lentilles corail et le bouillon. Remuez, ramenez le bouillon à un léger frémissement, couvrez et laissez cuire pendant 8-10 minutes. Quand les lentilles sont cuites, ajoutez l’eau et mixez le tout à l’aide d’un mixeur plongeant. Ajustez l’assaisonnement.
4. Servez cette soupe avec une tranche de pain de campagne grillé et garnie d’un filet d’huile pimentée, quelques miettes de feta, et un peu plus de poivre noir. Bon appétit!