This is a very refreshing soup. I usually eat it for lunch with a bun or two slices of whole wheat bread. I sometimes, serve it for dinner with freshly made naan or chapati. The secret to this soup is making sure you season with enough salt and pepper. I usually soak the dal for 2 hours but you can also cook it without soaking. I wish you a pleasant week! I

Whole Masoor Dal and Zucchini Soup (Brown Lentil Soup)

Difficulty: easy
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Preparation time: 15 minutes; Soaking time: 2 hours; Cooking time: 45 minutes; Serves: 3-4

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
4 whole cloves
1 medium onion chopped
1 inch fresh ginger root finely grated
3 fat cloves of garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
½-1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (adjust to suit you)
1 cup Masoor dal (Brown whole lentils), washed until the water turns clear, soaked for 2 hours, then drained in a colander
1 medium potato (about 100g/4oz) peeled and diced into cubes
Salt to taste
5 cups water
10-12 fresh curry leaves lightly bruised (I did not find any so I didn’t use it)
2 cups diced zucchini (2 small zucchini)
A generous handful, fresh coriander leaves (cilantro)
½-1 cup yoghurt for serving with chutney

Coriander Chutney

2 tablespoons lime or lemon juice
1 cup packed fresh coriander (cilantro) leaves and small stems
2 fresh hot green chillies or 2 Jalapeños, diced (adjust to suit your palate)
¼-½ teaspoon salt or to taste
6 cashew nuts (optional)

Instructions

Heat the oil in a large sauce pan over medium high heat. Add the whole cloves and let them sizzle a few seconds then add the onion and cook 6-7 minutes or until light golden brown. Lower the heat and add the ginger and garlic and stir 30 seconds then add the coriander, cumin, turmeric, cayenne, and cook for 1 minute.
Now add the lentils, potatoes and salt to taste, and stir to combine, then add the water and curry leaves, and stir to combine. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer, covered for 30 minutes.
Add the zucchini and bring back to the boil and hen simmer another 10 minutes or until the zucchini is tender. Just before switching off the heat, add the coriander leaves.
Now blend the soup in two batches, until smooth, then return to the pan and adjust thickness (if too thick add some water and simmer, 5 minutes or if too thin boil rapidly to reduce the water). Serve the soup and drizzle yoghurt sauce generously over the soup or sour cream.
To make coriander chutney: place all ingredients in a blender and whiz until smooth. Mix with the chutney with the yoghurt and place covered, in the fridge until ready to use.

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Below is a photo of whole Masoor Dal (Brown Lentils)

Step by Step Photos

Heat the oil in a large sauce pan over medium high heat. Add the whole cloves and let them sizzle, a few seconds. Add the onion and cook 6-7 minutes or until light golden brown. Lower the heat and add the ginger and garlic and stir 30 seconds then add the coriander, cumin, turmeric and cayenne and cook for 1 minute

.Now add the lentils, potatoes and salt to taste then stir to combine,

Now add the water and curry leaves and stir to combine. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer, covered for 30 minutes. (I could not find any curry leaves)

Now add the zucchini and bring back to the boil and then simmer another 10 minutes or until the zucchini is tender.

Just before switching off the heat, add the coriander leaves.

Now blend the soup in two batches, until smooth, then return to the pan and adjust thickness (if too thick add some water and simmer, 5 minutes or if too thin boil rapidly to reduce the water). Taste the soup and adjust seasoning.