Pureed Indian Lentil Soup

mlomeister's Note:

Another pureed soup for my husband on liquids after a few tooth extractions. :-) This one is based on one of his favorite curries, parappu - the south Indian equivalent of dahl or sambar. He wasn't allowed spicy foods, so I've swapped paprika for curry powder. If you're really adventurous, dry-roast whole spices in a skillet on very low heat until you can just start to smell the aroma and grind them in a coffee grinder instead of using bottled pre-ground spices. You can get indian curry leaves fresh in most indian stores and freeze them airtight until use.

• Total Time: 30 mins
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 2

• 1 cup red lentil , washed
• 1 medium potato , diced
• 1 tomato , chopped
• ¼ medium onion , diced
• 1 vegetable bouillon cube
• 2 garlic cloves , pressed
• 7 indian curry leaves
• ¼ teaspoon coriander , ground
• ¼ teaspoon cumin , ground
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper , ground
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons yogurt (optional)

Directions:

1. In a soup pot on medium heat, add lentils, potatoes, bouillon and 3 cups of water. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer.
2. Add the tomatoes, onions, garlic, curry leaves and spices.
3. Simmer gently for 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
4. Remove from heat and remove curry leaves. Rinse leaves and set aside.
5. Blend to desired consistency.
6. If using a standalone blender, return pureed soup to pot and warm gently over low heat. If using an immersion blender, feel free to skip this step.
7. Ladle soup in bowls and drizzle each serving with yogurt, if using. Garnish with curry leaves.