Coconut Curry Lentil Soup

 

It is Monday afternoon as I write this and it has been the perfect day to make and enjoy a hot bowl of soup. I think we have gotten at least six inches of snow today and the wind has been blowing.   

I had a mother who could make soup out of anything.  My mom was the best soup maker and every time we had a roast of anything we could be sure that the scraps at the end of it would be made into a delicious hot pot of soup.

Ham, chicken, turkey, beef  . . .  all those roast scraps went into soup pots and we loved my mother's soup.  She always had ice cream buckets full of homemade soup in the freezer and when we came home to visit that was one thing we could always look forward to having for supper  on one of the first few nights we would be home.

 

One of my favorite memories of soup is from not too long after my second marriage had broken up.  I had been living in a rented room and had come down with a really bad chest and head cold.  I remember opening the door one day and finding my mother on the doorstep with an ice cream tub full of her homemade chicken soup.

Nothing was more welcome. Mom's and homemade chicken soup are the cure all for any illness in my opinion. This soup recipe I am sharing with you today may not be for a chicken soup, but it is nevertheless just as delicious.  I promise you.

 

It is hearty and filling, low in fat, and loaded with goodness by way of two kinds of lentils, brown rice, shredded coconut,  and a special  mix of spices.  It is, simply put, very delicious.

And very filling. A bowl of this and you will be in soup heaven. Not too spicy, just spicy enough, rich and thick.  I enjoyed it with some soft warm naan bread to mop up every delicious morsel.

It went down a real treat on this very blustery cold Winter's day.

  

 

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE COCONUT CURRY LENTIL SOUP

It looks like a long list, and it is, but most of the ingredients are store cupboard ingredients and/or spices.

• 1/2 cup (95g) green lentils
• 1/2 cup (100g) red lentils
• 1/4 cup (18g) unsweetened shredded coconut
• 1/4 cup (48g) brown rice
• 1 TBS coconut oil
• 1 TBS grated fresh gingerroot
• 1 fat clove of garlic, peeled and minced
• 1 tsp curry powder
• 1 TBS garam masala
• 3 TBS red curry paste
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp fine sea salt (Or to taste)
• 7 cups (1.656 liter) good quality vegetable stock
• coconut milk to serve

 

I always keep bags of lentils in my store cupboard. I have red split lentils, dark green Puy lentils and brown lentils.  I think it is safe to say that I like lentils a lot.

They are an incredibly rich and nutritious addition to the diet and are filled with loads of fiber and other nutrients. Canada is actually one of the world's largest producer of lentils today.

Brown lentils are great for keeping their shape during cooking and are wonderful in soups. They have a rich and meaty flavor.

Red lentils are split (along with yellow lentils) and make for great thickeners in soups and stews. They have a sweet and nutty flavor.

 

Make sure you use unsweetened coconut shreds. You could also use desiccated coconut if that is all you can find. It just won't look the same in the finished soup.  

Brown rice is a whole grain rice, which has had its inedible outer husk removed. Generally speaking it takes longer to cook than regular rice. It has a lovely nutty flavor which makes is a great candidate for cooking in soups like this one.

Use the freshest spices as you can for this recipe in order to give you the optimum flavor!

Don't skip the coconut milk drizzle garnish. Use full fat coconut milk. There is relatively little fat in the soup and it will add a lovely richness to the finish. You could also squeeze over some lime juice if you want.  I garnished it with dried parsley leaves, but chopped coriander would also be very nice!

HOW TO MAKE COCONUT CURRY LENTIL SOUP

Soups are one of the simplest things to make in my opinion.  This one is, that's for sure! Easy to make and very satisfying!

Heat the coconut oil over medium heat. Add the ginger and garlic and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes, until very fragrant. Add the garam masala, curry powder and turmeric. Cook until very fragrant, about 1 minute.

 

Add the lentils, brown rice, coconut, curry paste, salt and vegetable stock. Bring to the boil then reduce to a simmer.

Cook, uncovered for 35 to 40 minutes, until the lentils are soft and the rice is cooked through. The soup should be thick. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.

Serve, ladled into heated bowls with a swirl of coconut milk on top. Delicious!

 

To warm up the naan bread I simply sprinkled them with a bit of water and then popped them onto a baking sheet.  A few minutes in a moderate oven (350*F/180*C/gas mark 4) and they were warmed to perfection. Still nice and soft.

You could also brush them with some  melted butter or oil and let them cook a bit longer until they are crisp.  Also very nice.  I love Peshwari Naan.  This is a type of Naan bread that has nuts, coconut and raisins in it. 

 

Not only was this soup very easy to make, but it was also incredibly delicious.  It was thick and rich and infused with flavor.  Do add the swirl of coconut milk to the top when serving. It really adds a special something! If your soup seems to think, you could also stir a bit more stock or coconut milk into it and heat through.

I enjoyed my soup with some heated plain naan bread.  Together this was a really tasty and satisfying meal!  You can freeze the leftovers if you wish, but do note that it will be very thick so you may have to add more stock when you go to reheat it!

I love a nice hot bowl of soup on a cold winter's day. Here are some other soups that I make that you might also enjoy!

WINTER VEGETABLE SOUP WITH CHEESE DUMPLINGS - This is a deliciously hearty soup with plenty of vegetables, ham and fluffy cheese dumplings. I guarantee your family will love this! Simple to make and using simple  everyday ingredients. Its also a great way to use up what's in the fridge.

CREAMY HUNGARIAN MUSHROOM SOUP - Sweet onion, meaty mushrooms, lemon, dill, sour cream and a good stock all work together to create something with is sublime and quite simply delicious. There is no other word to describe it.  It is also really quick and easy to make.

Yield: 4 - 6

Author: Marie Rayner

Coconut Curry Lentil Soup

Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 40 MinTotal time: 55 Min

A delicious thick and hearty soup that is filled with lovely flavors and textures. I enjoyed with a swirl of coconut milk on top and some warm naan bread.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup (95g) green lentils
• 1/2 cup (100g) red lentils
• 1/4 cup (18g) unsweetened shredded coconut
• 1/4 cup (48g) brown rice
• 1 TBS coconut oil
• 1 TBS grated fresh gingerroot
• 1 fat clove of garlic, peeled and minced
• 1 tsp curry powder
• 1 TBS garam masala
• 3 TBS red curry paste
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp fine sea salt (Or to taste)
• 7 cups (1.656 liter) good quality vegetable stock
• coconut milk to serve

Instructions

1. Heat the coconut oil over medium heat. Add the ginger and garlic and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes, until very fragrant. Add the garam masala, curry powder and turmeric. Cook until very fragrant, about 1 minute.
2. Add the lentils, brown rice, coconut, curry paste, salt and vegetable stock. Bring to the boil then reduce to a simmer.
3. Cook, uncovered for 35 to 40 minutes, until the lentils are soft and the rice is cooked through. The soup should be thick. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
4. Serve, ladled into heated bowls with a swirl of coconut milk on top. Delicious!

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