Inspired by Master Ottolenghi, this soup is a load of comfort food done in minutes. Ideal choice when temperatures start to drop.
Yield: 4 servings
Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 cup (60 g) snow peas
- 3 Tbsp canola oil
- 1 medium-size onion, roughly chopped
- 1 1/2 tsp Thai red curry paste, or to taste
- 1 1/4 cups (250 g) red lentils, washed and picked over, if necessary
- 1 lemon grass stalk, bashed
- 4 dried kaffir lime leaves or zest and juice of one dewaxed organic lime
- 4 cups (1 L) vegetable stock
- 1 cup (240 ml) coconut milk
- juice of 1 lime, or to taste
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce
- salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1/2 cup (14 g) fresh cilantro (coriander leaves) for garnish, finely chop
Preparation:
Bring water to a boil in a saucepan. Parboil snow peas. Remove from water and immediately plunge them into ice water to retain their green color. Set aside on paper towels.
Heat oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook them until they are soft, about 10 minutes. Stir now and then. Do not let them get too brown. Blend in the curry paste and cook for a minute longer. Add red lentils, lemongrass stalk, kaffir leaves or lime zest and juice. Add the vegetable stock and bring it to a boil. Simmer at low heat until lentils are very soft. Add more stock if lentils are not mushy after about 15 minutes.
Remove lentils from the heat. Discard lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves. Blend soup with an immersion blender until smooth. Return soup to the stove over medium heat. Add the coconut milk, lime juice and soy sauce. Warm it up. Adjust for salt and pepper if necessary. Garnish with sliced snow peas and cilantro (optional). Serve it with extra lime wedges, if you like.
