Curried Lentil Soup

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Serves 6 to 8

Cooking Time 6 to 7 hours on Low or 4 to 5 hours on High

Slow Cooker Size 5½ to 7 Quarts

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS: For an Indian-inspired lentil soup, we paired lentils with curry powder and ginger. Microwaving the ginger and curry powder along with onion and garlic and some tomato paste helped their flavors to bloom, giving us the base for a richly flavored broth. For the vegetables, we simmered some sliced carrots along with the lentils and stirred in fresh tomatoes at the end of cooking. To ensure that the spicy ginger flavor wasn’t lost after hours of cooking, we added a little more ginger just before serving. A dollop of plain yogurt added a cool, creamy contrast to the warm, rich flavors of the soup. We prefer French green lentils, or lentilles du Puy, for this recipe, but it will work with any type of lentil except red or yellow. See the sidebar that follows the recipe.

2	cups chopped onions
2	tablespoons grated ginger
2	tablespoons tomato paste
2	tablespoons vegetable oil
4	teaspoons curry powder
8	cups chicken broth
3	carrots, peeled and sliced ½ inch thick
1	cup lentils, picked over and rinsed
2	tomatoes, cored and chopped
¼	cup minced fresh cilantro
	Salt and pepper
	Plain yogurt

1. Microwave onions, 1 tablespoon ginger, tomato paste, oil, and curry powder in bowl, stirring occasionally, until onions are softened, about 5 minutes; transfer to slow cooker. Stir in broth, carrots, and lentils. Cover and cook until lentils are tender, 6 to 7 hours on low or 4 to 5 hours on high.

2. Stir in tomatoes and remaining 1 tablespoon ginger and let sit until heated through, about 5 minutes. Stir in cilantro and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with yogurt.