Name: Malaysian Lamb, Red Lentil, and Eggplant Soup (Bahmia)
Yield: Makes 12 First-Course or 6 Main-Course Servings
Cuisine: Malaysia
Ingredients: salt and pepper; 2 teaspoons ground coriander; 2 small eggplants, about 5 ounces each, preferably Asian type, peeled and sliced crosswise ½-inch thick; 3 Thai chilies or 6 Jalapeño chilies, seeded and finely chopped; ½ teaspoon ground cloves; 1 bunch of fresh mint, stems removed, about 6 tablespoons; 1-¾ cups coconut milk; 1 teaspoon ground cardamom; 1 teaspoon fennel seeds; a ½-inch slice of fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped; 1 cup red lentils, rinsed and checked for stones; 2 quarts beef, chicken, or lamb broth or water; 4 1-pound lamb shanks, cut in half crosswise by the butcher, trimmed of fat, or 1-¼ pounds lamb shoulder, cut into ½-inch cubes; 3 tablespoons vegetable oil; 4 unpeeled garlic cloves, crushed; coarsely chopped leaves; 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped; 2 medium-size onions, finely chopped; ¼ cup white wine vinegar; 3 tablespoons unsalted butter; 3 medium-size tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped, or 1-½ cups canned, seeded and drained

Preparation info

Makes
12
First-Course Servings

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

Splendid Soups

By James Peterson

Published 2000

About

This is one of those traditional stews that enters my kitchen and comes out a soup. My fascination with soup has reached obsessive dimensions, and my more frequent dinner guests have gotten used to sitting down to a succession of liquid and semiliquid courses.

In the original version the split peas remain whole and the eggplant is served in slices. In this soup version the eggplant is pureed, contributing its texture to the soup; fresh or frozen peas and tiny cubes of lamb are the o