8
Serves
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 25 minutes
You may think of lentils as something to store in the back of your pantry until a day when you have lots of time to wait for them to cook. But lentils, especially the red variety (sold in natural foods stores), are surprisingly convenient. They require no presoaking and cook up quickly—red lentils in just 20 minutes and brown lentils in about 30 minutes.
2 teaspoons canola oil
2 cups chopped onions (2 medium)
4 garlic cloves, minced
4–5 teaspoons curry powder
1 1/2 cups red lentils, rinsed and picked over
6 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
3/4 cup water
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1/2 cup nonfat plain yogurt
1/4 cup chopped scallion greens
1. Heat the oil in a 4- to 6-quart (4- to 6-liter) soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the garlic and curry powder. Cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add the lentils and stir to coat. Add the broth, water, tomato paste, and cinnamon. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until the lentils are very tender, about 20 minutes.
2. In batches, transfer the soup to a food processor or blender and puree. (Use caution when blending hot liquids.) Return the puree to the soup pot and heat through. Season with lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Garnish each serving with a dollop of yogurt and a sprinkling of scallion greens. One serving is 1 cup. The soup will keep, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Per serving: 187 calories, 14 g protein, 29 g carbohydrates, 12 g fiber, 2 g total fat, 1 g saturated fat, 199 mg sodium.