Red Lentil Soup with Coconut Milk and Sweet Spices

Thanks to the internet and food blogging, we literally have recipes for any course and any cuisine that we can ever imagine right at our fingertips. Who needs print recipes? Sure, cookbooks and magazines tempt us with their gorgeous photography, but without the glossy, colourful pages, newspapers just can't compete... for the most part.

It doesn't take much to get me excited about something, so when I saw the word "Lentil" splashed across the front page of the Real Life section of the Herald one fine Wednesday a month ago, I knew I had to take a closer look. Did you know that red lentils are actually whole lentils that have been hulled, which is why they turn mushy when they're cooked? Learn something new everyday...

The original recipe for the Red Lentil Soup with Coconut Milk and Sweet Spices calls for 6 tbsp (almost ½ cup) of butter and 6 cups of broth - that's quite a bit of fat and sodium for a soup that supposedly only serves 4-6! I figured you don't need 3 tbsp of butter just to get some spices fragrant (and probably not to sweat a large onion, really) and even though my mom stocks regular stock at home (ha!) You can cut down the sodium by using two parts water and one part broth. If you are so inclined, you can try cutting the butter down even further, using light coconut milk, and/or using low-sodium broth mixed with water.


You won't be sacrificing any flavour because this soup is just all about the aromatics (onion, garlic, ginger) and spices. Money-saving tip: A bottle of McCormick's cardamom costs $8+ at Superstore, but you can get a bag of it for about $3 if you go a couple aisles down into the ethnic foods section.

  


If you are someone who is spice-averse, don't worry, this soup doesn't pack any heat other than temperature! The coconut milk mellows out all the flavours so the spices are just a nice little tingle. I'm sure you can pair the soup with a salad dressed in a tart vinaigrette for a complete meal, but I've been bringing mine to work served with an old friend. (3 out of 3 health practitioners agree - low-sodium Triscuits still taste nice and salty!)

Red Lentil Soup with Coconut Milk and Sweet Spices
Adapted from the Calgary Herald
Makes about 2 L.

• 60 mL (4 tbsp) unsalted butter or margarine, divided
  
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
  
• 2 large cloves garlic, minced
  
• 15 mL (1 tbsp) grated fresh ginger
  
• 5 mL (1 tsp) turmeric
  
• 500 mL (2 cups) vegetable or chicken stock (low-sodium ok)
  
• 1 L (4 cups) water
  
• 375 mL (1½ cups) red lentils, picked over for stones and chaff
  
• 2 mL (½ tsp) ground cardamom
  
• 2 mL (½ tsp) ground cinnamon
  
• 1 mL (¼ tsp) ground cloves
  
• Pinch of nutmeg
  
• 2 bay leaves
  
• 2 mL (½ tsp) black pepper, freshly ground
  
• 300 mL (1¼ cups) coconut milk (light ok)

1. In a large pot, melt 3 tbsp of butter over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until it is translucent. Turn the heat down to medium, and add the garlic and ginger. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is lightly browned and very soft. Stir in the turmeric.
   
2. Add the stock and the lentils. Bring to a simmer, and cook for 15-25 minutes, or until the lentils are soft and falling apart. Skim off any foam that rises to the surface.
   
3. Melt the remaining butter in a small frying pan over medium heat. Add the cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, bay leaves and pepper. Stir until they are fragrant, about a minute.
   
4. Pour the butter and spices into the soup. Add the coconut milk, and stir well. Cook for about 15 minutes to blend the flavours. Adjust the seasoning.

Nutrition Info (per cup): 261 calories, 13 g fat (11 g saturated), 15 mg cholesterol, 26 g carbohydrate (5 g fibre, 1 g sugar), 11 g protein, 103 mg sodium. An excellent source of folate, copper and manganese. A good source of thiamin (vitamin B₁), potassium and zinc.