11.21.14 Curried Green Lentil and Sweet Potato Soup
Well, if we thought it was soup weather before, then it’s definitely soup weather now. There’s nothing like a warm bowl of soup on a chilly wintery evening. And if you’re like me and planning to go all out with two friendsgivings AND one regular Thanksgiving in the next week, then that’s just another good reason to cook up a nice pot of soup. You know, because once Thanksgiving is here, I’ll be eating turkey, stuffing and gravy like it’s going out of style. So for now, I figure a nice bowl of vegetable-laden soup will be good.
I happened to have some nice garnet sweet potatoes from my last CSA box of the season, and along with some carrots, garlic, and onions, I figured I had a pretty good soup base going. This also has the added benefit of cleaning out my fridge to make room for all of the Thanksgiving leftovers that will soon be residing there. After a quick perusal of the cupboards, I emerged with green lentils, sweet curry powder, and a pretty good idea of how to make all of these ingredients into one tasty, warming bowl of soup.
And shortly thereafter, I was feeling warm and cozy, slurping away at a big bowl of curried lentil soup topped with a creamy dollop of yogurt and some chopped scallions. Easy to make, filling and hearty, without being overly heavy, it was just what I needed. Rounded out simply with a hunk of good, crusty, seeded bread, it made for a perfect supper.
Curried Green Lentil and Sweet Potato Soup
serves 4
Not all curry powders are created equal. Some are hotter than others, so give yours a taste before you add it to your soup. If it’s on the spicier side, you may want to add less than the recommended 1 Tbsp, or vice versa if you have a mild powder and prefer a spicier soup.
- 1 Tbsp canola oil or ghee
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 medium carrot, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 Tbsp curry powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- ½ pound sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into approximately 1” pieces
- 1 cup green lentils, rinsed and drained
- 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 bay leaf
- plain yogurt and chopped scallions for serving
1. Heat oil or ghee in a large pot or dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, garlic, curry powder, salt, and pepper, and cook, stirring frequently, until onions soften, about 3-4 minutes.
2. Add the sweet potato and lentils and stir to combine. Cook, for 1 minute, then add the broth, lemon juice, and bay leaf.
3. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer partially covered until lentils and sweet potatoes are tender, about 30-40 minutes.
4. Remove bay leaf and season to taste with additional salt and pepper if needed. Serve nice and hot, topped with a dollop of yogurt and a sprinkle of chopped scallions
