Indian Lentils and Rice Soup

Tish's Note:

From start to finish, you can have lentil soup in less than 30 minutes. I have to say my daughter doesn't enjoy the mint and coconut in it so we serve hers without!

• Total Time: 30 mins
• Prep Time: 5 mins
• Cook Time: 25 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 6

• 8 medium green onions , chopped (1/2 cup)
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped gingerroot
• 1⁄8; teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 cloves garlic , finely chopped
• 5 ¼ cups vegetable broth or 5 ¼ cups chicken broth
• 1 ½ cups dried lentils , sorted and rinsed
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 large tomato , chopped (1 cup)
• ¼ cup shredded coconut
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint or 2 teaspoons dried mint leaves
• 3 cups hot cooked rice
• 1 ½ cups plain nonfat yogurt

Directions:

1. Spray 3-quart saucepan with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Cook green onions, gingerroot, red pepper and garlic in saucepan over medium heat 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onions are tender.
3. Stir in 5 cups of the broth, the lentils, turmeric and salt.
4. Heat to boiling; reduce heat.
5. Cover and simmer about 25 to 30 minutes, adding remaining stock if needed, until lentils are tender.
6. Stir in tomato, coconut and mint.
7. Serve over rice with yogurt.

Reviews

[Roosie]

This isn't all that soupy (I sort of expected as much), but I liked it just the same. I loved the flavor of the mint and the coconut and they went perfectly with the green onion. I added my tomato with the broth and lentils as we don't like uncooked tomato, but otherwise followed the recipe. Great exotic, but not too foreign flavors and I love the savory use of coconut and mint. I felt that there was a little something missing, but I couldn't quite place it. Maybe some fresh cilantro or some coconut milk or some lime juice? Not sure. But it was pretty good as-is!