Soup's On

  

The autumn chill is in the air and as we say good by to the fruits and veggies we savored in summer our thoughts turn to the comfort food that accompanies colder days and nights. And for many of us those thoughts include the aroma and taste of a hearty soup.

Nothing like having a cabinet deep enough to stow your stock pots like the kabi  custom feature pictured here.

The word soup is said to derive from the bread over which gruel was poured, called a sop or sup. In fact, it's likely that people have been enjoying some version of meat cooked in heated water throughout history.  In times when food was scarce dumping various ingredients into a pot to boil was not only cheap, it was filling, and most cultures have adopted their own variations like Italian minestrone, French onion and Russian borscht.

Seems like everyone has a favorite soup recipe and here’s one we hope you’ll want to add to your cooking file.  Filled with lots of Indian spices your friends and family will warm up just smelling the aromatic curry that fills the air. Feel free to comment or leave a recipe of your own to pass along.

Curried Red Lentil Soup

1   Tbsp. vegetable oil

1   large onion, chopped

3   cloves garlic, minced

2   Tbsp. minced peeeld gingerroot

1   jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced

1½ tsp. cinammon

1    tsp. ground cumin

1½ Tbsp curry powder

2    bay leaves

1½ cups red lentils, rinsed and picked over

8    cups chicken broth

2    Tbsp. chopped cilantro

2    Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

2    Tbsp. mango chutney

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1/3  cup nonfat yogurt

In a heavy saucepot, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions and saute until softened, 3-5 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, jalapenos, curry powder, cinammon, cumin, and bay leaves and cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes longer.

Stir in lentils and chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a low simmer, partially covered, for about another 45 minutes, or until the lentils are tender.

Discard bay leves. Sitr in cilantro, lemon juice and chutney. Season with salt and pepper. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with yogurt. Serve with Naan (an Indian bread available frozen at many grocery stores), or a favorite crusty bread, and it’s a meal.