Red Lentil Soup
January 13, 2011 § 1 Comment
Settling in…
It basically involves stocking the fridge and kitchen, making sure you have enough paper goods and blankets, scheduling meetings with various government agencies, getting a bank account and so forth. For me, it wasn’t really enough to keep that anxious-transitional feeling at bay, so after a week here, I got a job.
It’s a little retail gig, a few days a week. Just something to keep my hands occupied (there’s a lot of folding involved) while I figure out what the heck comes next.
Oh the unknown(s)…
Red Lentil Noodle Soup, from Ha’aretz, contributed by Doram Gaunt
This soup is comforting and hearty, without being too heavy or stew-like. Everyone in Tel Aviv keeps complaining about what a cold winter we’re having, and most of the time I have to turn my head so they do not see me laughing. If 57º F is cold (and that’s when the sun goes down), what would they think of Boston? That being said, apartments here are not equipped with central heating, and when you are sitting in your kitchen before midday, or at night, and it’s 60º F in the house, you don’t feel so toasty. This soup is a light meal on its own and is very soothing and warming whether you are snowed in, or just…in. I served mine over rice — which was quite tasty — you can also use noodles, as the recipe instructs, or just serve it with some crusty bread. Enjoy.
Ingredients
2 tbs. olive oil
2 onions, finely chopped
3 carrots, peeled and cut into stalks or cubes
2 cups red lentils
Sprig of rosemary (optional )
2 tbs. soup powder (I used an Israeli brand that has a lot of flavor and no MSG, if you would rather use vegetable stock, that would be even better! I would do 5 cups water, 5 cups stock)
10 cups water
The juice of a half a lemon
Salt and black pepper
1.5 cups medium, flat noodles, uncooked
Preparation
Fry the onions in the olive oil until golden. Add the carrots and fry for another minute or two. Add the lentils, stir and let them heat up. Now add the water, soup powder and rosemary sprig.
Bring to a boil, lower the flame and cook until the carrots are soft and the lentils are falling apart (around an hour ). Season with salt, pepper and lemon juice. Add the noodles, turn the heat off and cover the pot.
After around ten minutes the noodles will be soft and will have released their starch, further thickening the soup. If the soup is too thick for your taste, dilute with water.
how many servings do you think you got out of this?