Nile River Lentil Soup

Total Time: 1 hr 5 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 55 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 cup red lentil, rinsed
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 4 cups water or 4 cups vegetable stock
• 2 slices lemons (1/4 inch thick or so)
• 1/2 cup tomato (chopped, canned or fresh)
• cayenne pepper, to taste
• salt and pepper
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh coriander leaves (cilantro)

Recipe

• 1 heat oil in heavy pot on medium high heat.
• 2 saute onion and garlic until softened.
• 3 stir in lentils, ginger, cumin and coriander with onion/garlic mixture.
• 4 add lemon slices, stock, tomatoes, cayenne, salt and pepper.
• 5 (you can add salt and pepper later, but it's usually added now).
• 6 add the water or vegetable stock.
• 7 bring to boil, reduce heat to low, cover pot and simmer for about 45 minutes (it may only take 30 minutes) or until lentils are tender.
• 8 if you like your soup thin, add more stock.
• 9 take the pot off the burner, discard lemon slices, and puree soup in blender or food processor.
• 10 season if you have not already added the salt and pepper.
• 11 sprinkle with coriander (cilantro leaves).
• 12 alternatively, you can add the cilantro before you put the soup in the food processor.