Creamy Lentil Soup

Name: Creamy Lentil Soup
Yield: for 4-6
Cuisine: Thailand
Ingredients: 1 large red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped (optional); 1 tsp finely chopped ginger; 2 tbsp sesame or olive oil; 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped; 115 ml/ 4 fl oz thick coconut milk, yoghurt or single cream; 1 tsp finely chopped inner part of lemon grass stalk; 225 g/ 8 oz red lentils, picked and rinsed; juice of 1 lime (optional); salt and pepper

Preparation info

for
4-6

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

New Wave Asian

By Sri Owen

Published 2002

About

I developed this soup from a ‘comfort food’ which in Southeast Asia is usually spiced and would hardly ever be eaten as soup – not the way ‘soup’ is defined in this book, anyway. In countries nearer India, like Burma and Thailand, such dhal-like lentil stews are very popular.

Ingredients

2 tbsp sesame or olive oil
1 large red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped (optional)
1

Asia
Thailand
Myanmar (Burma)
Southeast Asia
Vegetarian
Soup
Gluten-free
Spicy

Method

In a heavy-based saucepan, heat the oil and fry the chilli (if using), ginger, garlic and lemon grass, stirring them continuously, for 2 minutes. Add the lentils and continue stirring these for a minute or two longer. Add 1.1 litres/ 2