Vegetarian Lentil Soup Recipe For The DASH Diet
This lentil soup recipe is a high blood pressure sufferer’s dream. It contains THAT much of blood pressure lowering ingredients. Actually, it contains so much garlic that I would think it was created by an Ukrainian ( never saw anyone loving as much garlic as we do!) It has a healthy amount of ginger, very little oil, and overall is a very healthy soup.
It was created by a Sri-Lankan chef from Toronto, Ravi Kanagarajah, who was famous for his soups and his big heart. He shared this recipe with the Toronto Star one day.
I got used to chefs’ recipes being a bit too elaborate, and sometimes looking better than they taste. Ravi’s recipe was simple and straightforward, and the result was really tasty. One recipe produces 3 big or 4 average portions. I changed very little in it.
Curried Lentil and Apricot Soup
Ingredients:
- 1 tbsp (30 mL) vegetable oil
- 1 onions, chopped
- 1/8 cup (60 mL) finely chopped garlic
- 1/8 cup (60 mL) finely chopped, peeled ginger
- 1 tbsp (30 mL) mild curry powder
- 1 plum tomato, cored, chopped
- 1/2 cup (250 mL) diced dried apricots
- 1 cup (500 mL) red lentils, rinsed
- 4 cups (1 L) water
- 1/2 cup coconut milk
- Salt + ground black pepper to taste
- Garnish: Plain yogurt, Chopped cilantro
Directions:
- In large pot, heat oil over medium. Add onions. Cook, stirring, until lightly golden, 10 minutes.
- Reduce heat to medium-low. Add garlic and ginger. Cook, stirring, 2 minutes.
- Add curry powder; cook 1 minute.
- Add tomato, apricots, lentils and water.
- Raise heat to high. When mixture starts boiling, reduce to simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until apricots are very soft, 30 minutes.
- Using handheld immersion blender or in food processor, purée soup. Return soup to pot over low heat. Stir in coconut milk. Season with salt and pepper.
Serve soup into warmed bowls. Garnish with yogurt and a sprinkle of cilantro.
Chef Ravi died last week, and I felt sorry that I never knew about his restaurants before it was too late. If you are in Toronto, visit RaviSoups where Ravi’s relatives continue running his business.