Photo: Roberto Caruso
Preparation: 20 minutes
Cooking: 45 minutes
Makes 8-10 servings
ingredients
- 1 package (400 g) of red or green lentils
- 1 large onion
- 2 red or green peppers
- 4 carrots
- 2 stalks of celery
- 3 jalapeño peppers
- 4 large garlic cloves
- 1 C. olive oil
- 2 quarts (8 cups) chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 C. Chili powder
- 2 tbsp. cumin
- 1 C. dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 C. black pepper
Preparation
- Rinse the lentils in a sieve. The onion is finely chopped. Cut the peppers in half, remove the seeds and cut them into 0.5 cm (1/4 inch) pieces. Peel the carrots and cut them into 0.5 cm (1/4 inch) pieces. Cut the celery stalks into 0.5 cm (1/4 inch) pieces. Wash and clean the jalapeño peppers. Finely chop the jalapeños and garlic cloves.
- In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, heat the oil. Add the onions, peppers, carrots, celery, jalapeños, and garlic. Saute until vegetables begin to soften, about 8 minutes. Stir in lentils, broth, chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to medium-low and cover. Simmer until lentils and vegetables are tender, 30 to 40 minutes. Adjust the seasonings if necessary.
- For a thicker texture, scoop out a quarter of the soup and transfer it to a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Puree. You may need to add a little water if the mixture is too thick. Add this puree to the soup. Serve hot accompanied by a crusty baguette.
This soup will keep in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator and 3 months in the freezer.
Also Read: Indian Vegetable Stew