Curried Red Lentil Soup

From EatingWell: January/February 1993 — Subscribe Now!

This soup is inspired by the Indian side dish dal; the Hindi word means “split” and refers to the split peas or lentils used in its preparation. Fragrant ginger, curry, cinnamon and cumin add lots of rich flavor.

READER'S COMMENT:

"Very delicious. This was very flavorful and very spicy. Brett J. Anderson, Baltimore, MD "

6 servings

Active Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes

Nutrition Profile

Ingredients

1 tablespoon canola oil
1 large onion,chopped
3 cloves garlic,minced
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
1 1/2 tablespoons curry powder
1 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 bay leaves
1 1/2 cups red lentils, rinsed and picked over (see Note)
8 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, or parsley
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons mango chutney
Salt & freshly ground pepper, to taste
1/3 cup plain nonfat yogurt

Preparation

Heat oil in a heavy stockpot over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, jalapeno, curry powder, cinnamon, cumin and bay leaves and cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes longer.
Stir in lentils and broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, partially covered, until the lentils are tender, about 45 minutes.
Discard bay leaves. Stir in cilantro (or parsley), lemon juice and chutney. Season with salt and pepper. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with yogurt.

Tips & Notes

Note: Red lentils are a useful addition to your pantry because they cook in just 10 to 15 minutes. They are excellent in soups, salads and vegetarian stews. You can find them in the natural-foods section of your supermarket or through online sources.

Nutrition

Per serving: 268 calories; 4 g fat (1 g sat, 2 g mono); 7 mg cholesterol; 40 g carbohydrates; 19 g protein; 16 g fiber; 332 mg sodium; 549 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Folate (60% daily value), Iron (25% dv), Magnesium (17% dv), Potassium & Zinc (16% dv), Vitamin C (15% dv).

1 1/2 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 1 1/2 starch, 1/2 vegetable, 1 1/2 very lean meat, 1/2 fat