By Elizabeth Herman | Posted: November 13, 2019
My brother and I took my parents to a vegan restaurant in Portland, OR, after my son’s wedding. My Dad tried to order soup, but the only soup they had was a very thick and spicy dal that he couldn’t eat. So I was looking for a vegan recipe for dal that resembles the thin, brothy, mild soup that he’s accustomed to.
Since then, I’ve learned about the use of red lentils, which have their hulls removed already and thus can be boiled to a thinner texture. Then, recently at the Art of Living Retreat Center on Diwali, I tried a mild, red lentil soup with some fresh carrots, celery and bok choy in it. It was lovely and I think it would work well for my Dad’s tastes.
So here’s a recipe that you can easily cook at home. I added the cabbage and made up my own spice combination with what I had in my pantry:
Ingredients
Soup ingredients:
1 cup red lentils
4 cups water or vegetable stock
1 large carrot, diced
1 large stalk of celery, diced
1 bunch chopped bok choy
2 cups finely chopped green cabbage
For the masala (spice mixture):
1 Tbsp. oil (organic coconut oil, grapeseed oil, olive oil, or ghee)
1 tsp. mustard seeds
¼ tsp. cumin powder
¼ tsp. coriander powder
¼ tsp. turmeric powder or grated fresh turmeric
¼ tsp. grated fresh ginger
½ of one diced green chili (without seeds for a mild flavor, with seeds for more spice)
1 diced fresh tomato (or a tablespoon of tomato paste)
Directions
Wash the lentils in a strainer, and then bring them to a boil in the water in a saucepan.
Reduce heat to simmer and allow to boil gently on low heat for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to break up any clumps in the lentils and stop them from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
As the lentils begin to boil, a white foam can appear on the surface of the cooking water. Use a spoon to skim this foam off of the top of the soup, to get rid of any excess impurities left on the lentils.
Warm the oil in a skillet and add masala ingredients. Cook gently for a few minutes, stirring often, until the spices emit a lovely aroma.
Add the chopped vegetables to the masala mixture and saute for a few minutes.
Add the vegetables and spices to the soup. Ladle some of the lentil liquid into the skillet to rinse it and then pour the whole mixture into the soup pot, making sure all of the vegetables, spices and oil are transferred into the soup.
Simmer for at least 15 minutes before serving.
This soup is wonderful when you’re feeling congested on a rainy November day, or anytime you want wholesome, warming goodness that’s easy to digest and tastes fantastic.
Elizabeth Herman writes, offers writing support to clients, teaches, and volunteers for a better world. She has a PhD in Rhetoric, Composition and Literature. Find her on Facebook or Twitter.
