Coconut Red Lentil Soup

 slightly adapted from 101 Cookbooks

See? Still alive. Just trying to thaw out and get back into the swing of things after being gone for 5 weeks...


Ingredients

1 cup (7 oz or about 1/2 lb) yellow split peas- I couldn't find these, so I opted for traditional lentils, you could try green split peas
1 cup (7 oz or about 1/2 lb) red split lentils
7 cups water
1 medium carrot, diced into 1/2-inch pieces (will probably add more next time!)
2 Tbsp. fresh ginger, minced
2 Tbsp. curry powder
2 Tbsp. butter or ghee (can use coconut oil)
8 green onions, thinly sliced
1/3- 1/2 cup golden raisins
1/3 cup tomato paste (about 1/2 of the small can)
1 14-oz. can coconut milk (I used lite and made it sweeter with more raisins)
2 tsp. fine grain sea salt
one handful fresh cilantro, chopped
cooked brown rice or farro, for serving (optional)

{If desired, I think you could easily add some chicken cooked in coconut oil, cut into bite sized pieces.}

Directions

1. Give the split peas and lentils a good rinse - until they no longer put off murky water. Place them in an extra-large soup pot, cover with the water, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and add the carrot and 1/4 of the ginger. Cover and simmer for about 30 minutes, or until the split peas are soft.

2. In the meantime, in a small dry skillet or saucepan over low heat, toast the curry powder until it is quite fragrant. Be careful though, you don't want to burn the curry powder,  just toast it. Remove from skillet and set aside.  Place the butter in the pan over medium heat, add half of the green onions, the remaining ginger, and raisins. Saute for two minutes stirring constantly, then add the tomato paste and saute for another minute or two more.

3. Add the toasted curry powder to the tomato paste mixture, mix well, and then add this to the already simmering soup along with the coconut milk and salt. Simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes or so. The texture should thicken up, but you can play around with the consistency if you like by adding more water or simmer longer for a thicker consistency. I let mine get nice and thick.

4. Serve soup over 1/2 cup warm brown rice or farro. Sprinkle each bowl generously with cilantro and remaining green onions. 

Serves 6.

{freezes well}