Food

Peppery Pink Lentil Soup

Renan Rocha

Jan 7, 2023 • 2 min read

Warm toasted spices and a
flavor-packed tarka–small,
whole edible spices bloomed
in hot oil and added to a dish
at the end of cooking–come
together in this velvety soup.

Makes 10 to 11 cups;

serves 10

For the soup:

1/2 T bs. coriander seeds
3/4 tsp. whole black peppercorns
11/2 cups pink lentils (also known
as red lentils or masoor dal),
picked over and rinsed
1 medium white onion, cut into
1/2-inch dice (about 2 cups)
2 ribs celery, cut into 1/2-inch
dice (about 1 cup)
1 medium carrot, peeled and
cut into 1/2-inch dice (about
1/2 cup)
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 1-inch piece fresh ginger,
peeled and coarsely chopped
1/2 fresh serrano chile, thinly
sliced (don’t remove seeds)
15 sprigs fresh cilantro, left
whole and tied in a cheesecloth
pouch
Kosher or sea salt
1 cup plain yogurt, whisked
until smooth, for garnish
2 T bs. sliced fresh chives,
for garnish

Make the soup

Heat a small, dry sauté
pan over medium-high heat.
When the pan is hot, add the coriander seeds and toast them—stir
constantly (or shake the pan gently) to keep the seeds from burning—
until they darken slightly and become very fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes.
Immediately transfer them to a dish and set aside. Return the sauté
pan to the heat; add the peppercorns and toast, shaking the pan, for
about 2 minutes. Pour onto the plate with the coriander seeds. Put the
toasted coriander and peppercorns in a spice grinder or mortar and
pestle and grind to a fine powder.
In a large (at least 4-quart) saucepan, combine the lentils, onion,
celery, carrot, garlic, ginger, chile, cheesecloth-wrapped cilantro sprigs,
and 2 tsp. salt with 21/2 quarts water. Bring to a boil over medium-high
heat. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for 30 minutes.
Remove the cilantro sprigs. Add the ground coriander and pepper to
the soup and simmer for another 10 minutes. Purée the soup using
a hand blender or a regular blender until the soup is very smooth.
Strain the purée through a medium-mesh sieve into a large serving
bowl. (The soup can be made to this point 1 day ahead; reheat it gently
before continuing.)

For the tarka:

2 T bs. canola oil
1 tsp. mustard seeds
1 tsp. cumin seeds

Make the tarka and garnish the soup

Set a small deep saucepan over medium heat and add the canola
oil. When the oil is shimmering, add the mustard seeds and cook,
uncovered, until they pop, 30 to 60 seconds. Add the cumin seeds
and cook for another 1 minute. Quickly but carefully, pour the hot
tarka over the soup and mix well. Season with salt to taste. Ladle the
soup into individual bowls and garnish with a dollop of yogurt and a
sprinkling of the chives. —Floyd Cardoz

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