I actually love to cook - I just haven't had time to add anything to this cookbook. Plus, when I look at some of the recipes that have been submitted, I realize that the recipes I like may not be shared by a vast majority of the members here. But, knowing now that at least one other person is a vegetarian (though perhaps not much of a cook
), I thought I'd add this recipe which I just made for dinner last night. I tend to like just about anything Asian, so if you don't like that flavor, you can just skip my recipes. 

Red Lentil Soup with Curry and Coconut Milk
3 Tbs. vegetable oil
2 medium onions, chopped
1 cup red lentils
3 medium carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
14-oz. can of coconut milk (can use Lite coconut milk)
1 bay leaf
3 cloves garlic, minced
1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced
1 Tbs. curry powder, preferably hot
½ cup chopped cilantro
1. In medium saucepan, heat 2 Tbs. oil over medium heat. Add onions and cook, stirring often, until the onions start to brown, about 10 minutes. Add 4 cups water, lentils, carrots, coconut milk, 1 tsp. salt and bay leaf. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, until lentils are tender – about 20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in small skillet, heat remaining 1 Tbs. oil over medium heat. Add garlic, ginger, curry powder and cilantro. Cook, stirring often, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add to soup.
3. Remove bay leaf. In food processor or blender, puree soup in batches until velvety smooth. Taste, add a bit more salt if desired. Serve hot.
Makes 4-6 servings.
Variation: I made this last night and wanted a more “substantial” soup, so I added a bunch of sliced mushrooms and tofu to the spices and sautéed until the juice from the mushrooms had evaporated. Then I pureed the soup BEFORE adding the mushroom/tofu mixture, combined everything and reheated. It was really good and definitely made a more substantial meal.



Red Lentil Soup with Curry and Coconut Milk
3 Tbs. vegetable oil
2 medium onions, chopped
1 cup red lentils
3 medium carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
14-oz. can of coconut milk (can use Lite coconut milk)
1 bay leaf
3 cloves garlic, minced
1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced
1 Tbs. curry powder, preferably hot
½ cup chopped cilantro
1. In medium saucepan, heat 2 Tbs. oil over medium heat. Add onions and cook, stirring often, until the onions start to brown, about 10 minutes. Add 4 cups water, lentils, carrots, coconut milk, 1 tsp. salt and bay leaf. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, until lentils are tender – about 20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in small skillet, heat remaining 1 Tbs. oil over medium heat. Add garlic, ginger, curry powder and cilantro. Cook, stirring often, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add to soup.
3. Remove bay leaf. In food processor or blender, puree soup in batches until velvety smooth. Taste, add a bit more salt if desired. Serve hot.
Makes 4-6 servings.
Variation: I made this last night and wanted a more “substantial” soup, so I added a bunch of sliced mushrooms and tofu to the spices and sautéed until the juice from the mushrooms had evaporated. Then I pureed the soup BEFORE adding the mushroom/tofu mixture, combined everything and reheated. It was really good and definitely made a more substantial meal.
Comment