Before you start cooking, close your eyes. Take a moment to enjoy the spices that you are about to use. The sharpness of the chilies. The boldness of the cumin. The zest of the curry. Take in the sourness of the lime. The onion may make your eyes water, but the scent of it sizzling in just a drop of butter makes those tears worth it. Remember that lentils are virtually tasteless so the only way to bring them alive is through spices.
The benefits of this soup are endless. Dairy free and vegetarian, it is also high in fibre and packed with vitamins.
Ingredients
1 1/2 tablespoon of chipotle chili powder
1 tablespoon of turmeric
1 tablespoon of cumin
1 tablespoon of curry powder
1 tablespoon of salt
1 bay leaf
1 cup of lentils (any colour, I used yellow)
3 cups of water
1/2 a chopped onion
5 cloves of chopped garlic
1 tomato, diced
1 tablespoon of butter
3 tablespoons of cilantro
Melt the butter in a saucepan on medium heat. Add onions and garlic. Stir around for 5 minutes until onions start to go translucent. Add chili powder, turmeric, cumin, and curry powder. Let the onions and garlic absorb this for about 5 minutes. Add one cup of water and stir. Add lentils and let simmer. Once simmering, add two more cups of water, bay leaf and salt. Cover and cook on medium-high heat for 20 minutes. Check periodically to make sure it doesn't boil over. Add diced tomato and cook for another 5-10 minutes. For extra nutrients, add some chopped spinach. Once it is done, scoop some in a bowl, sprinkle some cilantro and enjoy!
PS: Lentils usually come out the best if you can soak them in water for a couple of hours in water before you cook them.
