Indian Soup on a Jag
April 16, 2009
Thinking back on our years in the kitchen, it’s easy to spot phases we’ve put ourselves through. Min calls them jags. A thing, a place, a dish, a season, or a recipe speaks to you. Once it has your attention, it takes over. In time, the next jag shows up and away you go.
There was Min’s Kosher pickle jag, my EZ-QUE rotisserie smoked chicken jag that I’m still on and pretty much will be forever, and my beef rib jag, our packet grilled vegetables jag, the Cortez salsa jag (Min’s lifetime jag achievement winner), the endless grilled pizza jag, the annual pound cake jag, and, of course, the slow cooker barbecue jag that inspired our cookbook Cheater BBQ. The no knead bread jag surely turned into a monster of a jag since the The New York Times broke that one. (no knead to search, just click). We’re still hooked.
Lately we’ve been on a lentil/split pea soup jag—likely inspired by (a) the opening of the Woodlands Café Vegetarian Indian restaurant just down the hill from my house on Love Circle, (b) Min’s neighbor Raj’s perfect lentil soup flavored simply with onions, garlic, and ginger, and (c) our continuing quest for a healthy, quick-to-reheat hot lunch after an extreme hunger-inducing lap swim.
Cheater Chef Indian soup begins with either red lentils or yellow split peas, both fashionably in line with warm hues dubbed by the Pantone color experts as “classic chic,” timeless, and certainly from our point of view, strikingly appetizing.
Indian Red Lentil or Yellow Split Pea Soup is a regular concoction of the dried legumes simmered with onions, celery, and carrots with the added boost of garlic, fresh ginger, cumin, and cayenne pepper. Make it meatless with water or vegetable broth, or “less-meat” with chicken broth.
You must not forget the last minute fresh acidic finish of a squeeze of fresh lemon or lime. Swirl in some bottled bright green Indian coriander chutney for tangy heat and the knockout color combo.
Cheater Chef Indian Soup
Makes 8 to 10 servings
2 medium-large onions, chopped
2 medium ribs celery (include the leaves), chopped
3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
¼ cup vegetable oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons peeled and grated fresh ginger
1 tablespoon cumin seeds, crushed
1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes, optional
2 cups dried split red lentils or yellow split peas, rinsed
1 quart boxed chicken broth (or use vegetable broth or water)
Salt, to taste
Cayenne pepper, to taste
Fresh squeezed lemon or lime juice for each serving
Garnish with lemon or lime slices, Indian coriander chutney, fresh chopped cilantro, green onion slices, fresh Serrano or jalapeno slices, and plain yogurt.
Sauté the onions, carrots and celery in the oil in a large pot until the onions are limp and lightly browned. Stir in the garlic, ginger and cumin seeds. Cook a few minutes longer over medium heat.
Stir in the tomatoes (if using them), lentils or split peas, broth, and four cups of water. Simmer the soup until the lentils or split peas are soft and mushy 45 minutes to an hour (the split peas will take longer to cook than the lentils). Puree the soup with an immersion blender or leave the soup chunky. Add salt and cayenne pepper to taste. Add a squeeze of fresh lemon or lime juice to each serving. Serve with the garnishes.
Get tips for making perfect skillet cornbread. It's the only bread to serve with summer fresh vegetable suppers. 
