How to make Dal Soup
Ingredients needed
Onion chopped -1/2 cup
Garlic – 3 cloves
Italian Tomatoes – 3/4 cup chopped 1 (1lb) can of Italian tomatoes
Dal/lentils 1 cup (you can use masoor dal or moong dal or a mix the both the dals as I have done)
Chilli powder -1/2 tsp. OR red pepper flakes
Salt to taste
Pepper powder to taste
Olive Oil – 3 TBS but I could not read my handwriting)
2 cups Chicken stock or Vegetable stock.
½-3/4 tsp. salt 1 tsp. lemon juice
(For an Italian flavor add 1 TB. fresh basil 1 TB. Fresh parsley.) optional! INDIAN spices would be my choice of preference. Unlike the greens they need to be cooked with the onion stage.
**For a more Indian flavor add turmeric, coriander powder, crushed cumin and mustard seeds. ½ tsp to 1 tsp of ea. They should be well crushed and added to the very beginning of the process.
Preparation: Rinse in cold water-colander.
Soak dal for 15 minutes in hot water. (You can reduce the cooking time and fuel by soaking dal)
Chop onion, tomatoes, garlic and keep it ready.
Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan on high heat for one minute. Reduce the heat to low, add the onion and red pepper flakes or chili powder. Sauté for one minute or until the onions become translucent. Only then add the garlic.
While cooking , drain the tomatoes, but reserve he juice. Chop them up and add to the pan. (** At this point you could add the basil and parsley as well or wait until the next step. Add the lentils, and cook for two minutes, stirring all the ingredients to blend together. Add the
stock and the tomato juice – the salt and bring it to a boil.
Reduce the temperature and simmer in a covered pot and cook for 30 minutes. Transfer ½ of the lentil mixture to a blender (or all if you want a puree texture) Return to the pan cover and simmer for another 10 minutes. A crock pot can also be used. The soup is ready when ALL the lentils are tender.
Lentils have different cooking times so make your own judgment on this. Strain it using a strainer.
Add pepper powder to taste and serve hot with sourdough bread.
Note – do not use the pepper flakes or chili powder if feeding to a toddler.
Garnish with Kale, Parsley, chopped green onions.
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