Sambhar/Lentil Soup

NPFHT
Aug 18
2 min read

Soup Ingredients:

½ cup dried lentils (You can cook lentils ahead of time if you prefer)

1 small potato

1 cup spinach

1 cup green beans

¾ cup chopped carrot

¾ cup green onion

Flavours/spices:

3-4 Lotus flower stems (frozen) optional

2 tbs. oil of choice

4 dried red peppers

½ tbs. mustard seeds

1 cup fresh tomatoes – blended/pureed

½ cup tomato sauce (jar or can)

2 garlic cloves

1 large hot pepper (optional)

1 small onion

7-8 Curry leaves

5 cups water total (measured and used throughout)

½ tsp. salt (optional)

¼ tsp. black pepper

½ tsp. turmeric powder

¼ tsp. chili pepper powder (optional for heat)

¼ tsp. chili flakes (optional for heat)

½ tbs. Sambhar spice (optional)

Instructions:

1. Rinse the lentils. Wash and chop all vegetables.

2. Add potato, spinach, green beans, carrot, green onions, lotus flower stems, lentils and 3 cups of water to a pressure cooker and cook for 10 minutes. Be sure to let sit for 2 mins after pressure cooker is done.

3. While the vegetables and lentils cook, drizzle a large pan/wok/pot with oil and heat at medium/high heat.

4. Add garlic, onion, dried red peppers, mustard seeds, curry leaves, and large hot pepper to the oil. Cook until you can’t hear a sizzle.

5. Add chopped onion, garlic and pepper, cook until brown

6. Add the pureed tomatoes and tomato sauce to oil mixture. Cook for 5 minutes or until it is starting to dry out.

7. Add all the spices to the tomato sauce and stir well to combine all the flavours. Cook this down and add 1 cup of water.

8. Once the vegetables and lentils are done in the pressure cooker, you can either mash the contents or blend them to your desired consistency.

9. Add an optional 1 cup of water if you find the vegetable/lentil mixture to be too thick.

10. Add vegetables and lentils to the tomato sauce and stir to mix. Serve hot

Yields: 8 cups

Side options:

· Rice

· Crackers

· Croutons

· Whole grain pita

· Or any other starch or grain portion of your choice