This recipe calls for medium curry powder, but it’s flexible. If the one you have is mild or very spicy, adjust the heat level with more, or less, red pepper flakes.
Notes
Useful user suggestions:
- Double the garlic (at least).
- Extra curry powder (closer to 1.5 tbsp).
- Added half a teaspoon of chili powder and it gave it a great color and a little more complex flavor.
- If you want to try an Ethiopian flavor instead of curry powder, use Berbere seasoning in equal amounts. It's a pretty adaptable recipe.
- You could add a bit of pork sausage if you want to add meat and that's tasty too.
- Substitute chicken stock for water (if you use a 4 cup carton of chicken stock, you can use the remaining 1.5 cups to make a cup of rice; very convenient).
- If you want to change it up, instead of cilantro, put some fresh spinach.
- Added greens right before serving it just to get my Greens in.
- Serve it over jasmine or basmati rice.
- Served with a spoonful of Greek yoghurt.
- Cooking time generally ends up being longer than the recipe suggests.
- Always better the next day after the flavors have had some time to meld together.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons virgin coconut oil - or extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium onion - finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic - finely chopped
- 1 2½-inch piece ginger - peeled, finely grated
- 1 tablespoon medium curry powder - such as S&B
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- ¾ cup red lentils
- 1 14.5-ounce can crushed tomatoes
- ½ cup finely chopped cilantro - plus leaves with tender stems for serving
- kosher salt
- freshly ground pepper
- 1 13.5-ounce can unsweetened coconut milk, shaken well
- lime wedges - for serving
Instructions
- Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium.
- Cook onion, stirring often, until softened and golden brown, 8–10 minutes.
- Add garlic, ginger, curry powder, and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
- Add lentils and cook, stirring, 1 minute.
- Add tomatoes, ½ cup cilantro, a generous pinch of salt, and 2½ cups water; season with pepper.
- Set aside ¼ cup coconut milk for serving and add remaining coconut milk to saucepan.
- Bring mixture to a boil; reduce heat and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until lentils are soft but not mushy, 20–25 minutes.
- Season soup with more salt and pepper if needed.
- To serve, divide soup among bowls. Drizzle with reserved coconut milk and top with more cilantro. Serve with lime wedges.