Lentil and Split Pea Soup
From the Rebar Modern Food Cookbook by Audrey Alsterberg and Wanda Urbanowicz.- Ingredients:
- 1 cup split peas
- 3/4 cup brown lentils
- 3/4 cup red lentils
- 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tsp mustard seed
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1/4 cup minced ginger
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp red chile flakes
- 1 tsp cumin
- 2 tsp coriander, ground
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1/4 tsp turmeric
- 2 carrots, diced
- 8 cups vegetable stock or water
- Cracked pepper to taste
- Juice of two lemons
Combine peas and lentils in bowl and soak in cold water for one hour.
Heat oil in soup pot and add mustard seeds. When they start to turn grey and pop, add onion and bay leaves. Saute until soft. Add garlic, ginger, salt and chiles and cook five minutes. Stir in remaining spices and cook for several minutes, stirring often and adding small amounts of stock to prevent sticking. Add carrots and saute until tender.
Strain and rinse legumes. Add them to pot, along with 6 cups stock or water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, until peas and lentils are soft and broken down (about 30 mins). Add more liquid to cover if necessary. Puree the soup with a hand blender or food processor. Reheat in pot and season with salt, pepper and lemon juice. Add more stock to thin if necessary.