Good morning beautiful friends,
We are definitely in the midst of autumn now. The morning air is cool (I should actually say cold since it was 2°C – 36°F– overnight!), the grass has frosty little tips and it is now completely dark outside when I wake up at 4:50am. Yes, I wake up at 4:50am… most mornings, including weekends! I mainly do so because it’s really the only time I can get anything done before my son wakes up (he usually wakes up around 6am now which is a huge improvement from 4:30am!) and also because I enjoy waking up early. There is something about the type of quiet in the morning that is not the same as evening or night quiet. Morning quiet is full of mystery and promises. I also feel an immense sense of peace and gratefulness in the morning that I find gets cluttered by all the day’s events by the time the evening rolls around.
And yes I do enjoy the cooler weather. I find it adds to the mystery of the morning. And I find I am simply more productive during the day. When the weather is hot and humid, I find myself daydreaming about taking a swim in the ocean, chillin by the beach or hanging out poolside somewhere exotic… When it’s colder, I’m just more focused! And because I love colder weather, I inevitably love belly warming food. Like this soup.
This soup…yes, this soup, is just as good as it gets when in need of some warmth on those cold autumn nights. It has a smooth and creamy texture and the mix of spices like coriander, cumin, cardamom and nutmeg warm up your heart and soul right away. The base for this soup resembles a lot the traditional red lentil soup I’ve had the pleasure of eating so many times over while traveling through the Middle-East. I won’t lie, the first time I had it was in Cairo, Egypt and it was love at first bite. Many countries I’ve visited, claim to be the originators of this soup but just like the origins of marinara sauce for Italians, it is a mystery that I’m afraid will remain unsolved.
I’ve diverged slightly from the traditional red lentil soup because I was craving something a bit creamier so I added some sweet potatoes. I also wanted to make good use of the celery I had in my fridge and boost the nutrient content of this soup. I hope you like these additions as much as I did!
Hope you guys enjoy this soup. Leave me a comment and let me know what traditional dish you enjoy but added your own twist to.
xx
- 1 medium onion, sliced
- 3 garlic gloves, minced
- 2 celery stalk, diced
- 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and roughly diced
- 3 Cups red lentils, dry
- 1 tsp coconut oil
- 2 tsp coriander seeds, ground
- 1 tsp cumin, ground
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg, ground
- 1/4 tsp cloves, ground
- 1/4 tsp cardamom, ground
- 1 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
- 2 tsp sea salt
- 2 bay leafs
- 7 Cups of water
- 3 Tbs lemon juice
- In a large cooking pot, melt the coconut oil over medium heat.
- Add the spices and stir frequently to prevent burning. Cook for 2 mins. The spices will release an amazing aroma
- Add the onion and garlic and coat with the spices. Cook for another 2 mins.
- Add the celery and sweet potato and stir. Cook for another minute.
- Add the red lentils and stir everything together.
- Add the water and bring to a boil.
- Once the soup is boiling, stir and bring the heat back down to low and let simmer for 35-40 mins.
- Remove the pot from the stove top and let cool a few minutes.
- Remove bay leafs.
- When cooled, blend the soup using a hand blender. It will give a nice rich and creamy texture.
- Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
- Add lemon juice and serve.
EN 
FR