The moment that I read 101 Cookbooks’ post on Coconut Red Lentil Soup, I knew it would become a Meatless Monday dinner at our home.
Ohhh, this soup is so good! It is the kind of good soup where you find yourself sopping up any remnants in the bowl with bread or simply wishing you had a piece of bread so that no soup would be wasted.
Yellow split peas and red lentils are the back bone of this soup.
It is perfectly seasoned with toasted curry powder as well as scallions and fresh ginger sauteed in a bit of butter. Tomato paste and coconut milk give the soup its body and its richness.
Yellow raisins are the finishing touch that will send your taste buds into overload. You cannot see the raisins because they are the same color as the soup but every few spoonfuls, a raisin will be included and its unexpected burst of sweetness is just plain deliciousness.
The original recipe came from The Esalen Cookbook. The Esalen Institute, located in Big Sur California, is a retreat and workshop center focused on “human possibilities yet to be realized.”
Be sure to add the full 2 tsp. of salt, without it the soup will not be balanced. If you would like to do a little palate training, set aside a few spoonfuls of soup before you add the salt. Then compare the salted and unsalted samples. It is a clear demonstration of the flavor power of just the right amount of salt.
Scallions and cilantro stirred in just before serving because Marco thinks that he doesn’t like cilantro. We served the soup over some cooked brown rice as suggested. It is not necessary but does offer a nice textural contrast.
Maybe you cannot book a retreat at Esalen but you can eat like you are there. Enjoy!
For the recipe posted on 101 Cookbooks, click here.
FMI on Meatless Monday, click here.
No comments yet.