Red Lentil Soup, or Dal, makes frequent appearances in the Red Stick Spice Teaching Kitchen for two very important reasons. First, split red lentils cook quickly, making them the perfect dish for a 90 minute teaching block. Second, they are a blank canvas. Grab a Mediterranean or Middle Eastern spice blend and get creative. In this version, we pair Ras el Hanout with Roasted Chile Avocado Oil for a flavor explosion. Not to mention a protein-packed, better-the-next-day and yummy meal.
Roasted Chile Avocado Oil | |
1 large onion, diced | |
2 ribs celery, diced | |
1/3 cup packed parsley leaves and stems, chopped | |
1/2 tsp Salt | |
1/2 tsp ground black pepper | |
1 Tbl Ras el Hanout | |
5 garlic cloves, minced | |
2 Tbl grated fresh garlic | |
1 1/4 cup dried red lentils | |
2 tsp Hot Smoked Paprika | |
Salt & Pepper to taste | |
1-14 oz cans diced tomatoes | |
6-8 cups vegetable or chicken stock | |
Chopped fresh cilantro, for serving |
1. | Coat the bottom of a large stockpot with Roasted Chile Avocado Oil and heat over medium-high heat. Add the onions, celery, parsley, salt, and black pepper. Saute until golden brown. |
2. | Add the Ras el Hanout and stir to combine--saute for an additional minute. Add the garlic and ginger. Saute until just fragrant, about 1 minute. |
3. | Add the lentils, Paprika, tomatoes and 6 cups of the stock. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cover and simmer on low for 25 minutes. |
4. | Check the lentils and continue to cook until tender. Add additional stock to adjust the consistency. Or if the lentils are too thin, continue simmering with the lid off to reduce. When the lentils are tender, taste and adjust with salt and pepper. |
5. | Serve with chopped fresh cilantro. |
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