Name: Spicy Ethiopian Red Lentil Soup
Total time: 50 min
Yield: Serves 4 to 6
Cuisine: African
Ingredients: ½ tsp black peppercorns; 2 green cardamom pods; ½ tsp ground nutmeg; 1 tsp fenugreek seeds; 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped; 2 Tbsp minced fresh ginger; 2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil; ½ tsp ground ginger; 3 Tbsp sweet paprika; 3 to 6 dried red chiles de árbol, stemmed, seeded, and broken up; 3 whole cloves; ½ cup [30 g] dried fried shallots (see Flavor Toolbox); 3 medium garlic cloves, minced; 3 medium Anaheim chiles, seeded and chopped; 2 Tbsp tomato paste; ½ tsp ground allspice; ½ tsp ground cinnamon; 2 tsp coriander seeds; 1½ tsp sea salt; 3 cups [630 g] red lentils, picked over and rinsed; Sea salt; Freshly ground black pepper; 3 Tbsp unsalted butter or coconut oil

Preparation info

Serves
4 to 6

Difficulty
Easy
Ready in
50 min

Appears in

Easy Soups from Scratch with Quick Breads to Match

By Ivy Manning

Published 2017

About

This spicy, thick lentil soup acquires its complex flavor from berbere, an East African spice blend that includes coriander, fenugreek, dried chiles, and fried shallots. You can find packaged berbere spice at international markets and online, but it’s fun and easy to make it yourself, so I’ve included directions for making it here. You will have enough for two batches of soup. Or try the leftover mixture on popcorn, fried eggs, or as a rub for grilled meats!

Serve the