Curried Lentil Soup

Today I was looking for a vegetarian recipe, because we have been eating a substantial amount of meat in the last few days, so I decided to go through my old issues of Bonappetit. In the December 2010 issue I found a wonderful recipe for a Curried Lentil Soup, but, as it often happens with Bonappetit, I didn't have all the ingredients they called for and had to adapt it a little bit with what I already had in the pantry. The result was simply amazing! I think this is by far the best lentil soup I have ever had. It has an Asian flavor to it, thanks to the use of curry that is beautifully counterbalanced by the fresh notes of the lemon juice. It is creamy and rich without being too hearty or heavy and with a limited amount of fat added to it. It can easily become a vegan recipe by substituting the butter or even completely eliminating it. It would be great accompanied by warmed triangles of pita bread or even better with that wonderful Indian bread that is called naan.

INGREDIENTS

1 medium carrot, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

extra virgin olive oil

2 large garlic cloves, peeled and chopped

2 tablespoons of curry powder

1 cup of dry lentils

4 and 1/4 cups of water

1 can of  beans ( I have used pinto beans, but cannellini or garbanzo beans would work too), drained and rinsed

the juice of 1 lemon

1/4 stick of butter ( optional )

PREPARATION

Cook the onion and the carrot in 1 tablespoon of olive oil until the onion is translucent.

Add half of the garlic and cook the vegetables until soft.

Add the curry powder and stir until well seasoned.

Add the lentils and the water.

Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer until the water is mostly gone and the lentils are cooked, stirring occasionally to avoid sticking.

In the meantime, puree the beans with the lemon, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the rest of the garlic, the lemon juice and the water.

When the lentils are cooked add the pureed beans and the butter to the soup, mix well.

Serve with a garnish of green onion finely chopped (optional).

To see the original Bonappetit recipe go to

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Curried-Lentil-Soup-362489