Lentil Mushroom Vegetable Soup (Indian Inspired)
Ingredients
Lentils
- 5 cups of water or broth or a combination
- 1 cup of red lentils
- Heaping tablespoon of tomato paste
- 1 tbsp Bragg’s Liquid Aminos or 1 tsp salt to taste
Tempering (see note)
- 1 tsp. cumin
- 1 tsp. coriander
- 1 tsp. curry seasoning
- 1 tsp. fenugreek leaves
- 7 curry leaves
- 1 Indian bay leaf
- 2 shallots minced
- 6 cloves of garlic minced
- 1 inch fresh ginger minced
- 8 to 12 ounces combination of shitake and cremini mushrooms sliced
- 4 oz marinated tofu sautéed
- Bragg’s Liquid Aminos to taste
- ½ tsp balck pepper to taste
For Finishing in the Bowl
- ½ cup rice or ramen noodles or quinoa, or couscous,
- Lentil soup
- Cherry tomatoes halved or quartered
- 1/2 avocado for each bowl sliced
- 2 tbsp coconut milk drizzled
- Fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare the Soup Base: In a large pot, combine the lentils, 5 cups of water or broth, Braggs or salt, and tomato paste. Bring to a boil while stirring. Let everything simmer for about 15-20 minutes, or until the lentils are tender. If the soup gets too thick, add a little more water or broth to reach your desired consistency. Use a blender or emersion blender to slightly purée the lentil mixture
- Add Spices and Aromatics: In a separate pan, heat the oil. Temper spices by adding curry leaves, fenugreek leaves, cumin, coriander, and curry seasoning to the oil. Cook on medium until fragrant, letting the spices infuse into the oil. Add the minced shallots, garlic, and ginger. Cook until shallots are translucent. Add small amounts of lentil broth to deglaze the pan. Add the mix to the cooked lentils and stir.
- Add Mushrooms and Tofu: Use the spice pan to cook the sliced mushrooms and tofu in a small amount of oil, about 5 to 7 minutes, until mushrooms are softened to desired consistency. Then, gently stir the sautéed mushrooms and tofu into the lentil pot. Taste. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
- Finish the Soup: Remove the pot from heat. In your favorite bowl, add chosen grain (rice, ramen noodles, quinoa, or couscous) and generous amounts of soup. Drizzle with coconut milk and top with sliced avocado and cherry tomatoes. The cherry tomatoes will soften in the warm soup and provide a burst of flavor. Sprinkling with fresh chopped parsley.
Notes
We ate this soup for 3 meals with a salad or sandwich.
Tempering (also known as tadka or chhonk in some regions) is a common cooking technique in Indian cuisine where whole and ground spices and aromatic ingredients are briefly fried in hot oil or ghee to release their essential oils and flavors. This process enhances the aroma and flavor of the spices, which then infuse the dish when added.
How Tempering Works:
- Heat Oil or Ghee: First, a small amount of oil or ghee (clarified butter) is heated in a pan.
- Add Whole Spices: Once the oil is hot, whole (and ground) spices such as cumin seeds, mustard seeds, fennel seeds, cloves, cinnamon, or cardamom are added. The spices are fried for a few seconds until they release their fragrance. The goal is to toast them just enough to bring out their full flavor without burning them.
- Add Aromatics (Optional): After the spices, ingredients like garlic, ginger, onions, or curry leaves might be added to the oil to fry them lightly as well. This adds additional layers of flavor to the dish.
- Add to the Main Dish: Once the tempering is ready, it is poured into the main dish (usually a curry, lentil soup, or dal) to enhance the overall flavor profile.