Urad Dal Soup

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I made this recipe after a disappointing urad dal dish. I loved the texture of the lentils but the flavor was lacking so I ventured to punch the flavor up ten fold from that recipe and here we are. This soup is everything I want on a chilly night. The warm, creamy soup compliments the strong spices and variety of textures floating inside. Urad dal (black lentil) promises to keep you full long after the meal is done while the peas offer small pockets of green sweetness in a sea of heat and umami. It even keeps well as leftovers, in fact, it gets better the next day just like a good chili. The only downside is a long cook time. The lentils can take FOREVER (or at least it feels that way when I'm hungry) so be sure to give yourself plenty of extra time.

Urad Dal Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 cup urad dal (black lentils), soaked at least 4 hours
• 1 while or yellow onion, diced
• 5 cloves garlic, minced fine
• 1 inch fresh ginger, grated
• 1 medium serrano pepper, chopped
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 4 cups broth of choice
• 1/2 cup coconut cream
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 1 cup frozen green peas
• 1 teaspoon turmeric 
• 1 teaspoon coriander 
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin

Directions:

1. Take a can a coconut milk and place it in the fridge. Do NOT shake it.
2. Heat coconut oil in a pot over medium heat.
3. Add the onion and cook until golden brown (~10–15 min)
4. Add the garlic, ginger, and serrano and sauté for one minute.
5. Drain the soaking urad dal and discard the soaking liquid. Add all of the spices, tomato paste, and urad dal and stir until the spices are very fragrant.
6. Add the tomatoes and broth.
7. Cover and bring to a boil.
8. Once boiling, place the lid so it is only partially covering the pot and let it simmer for an hour or until the urad dal is soft.
9. Once the lentils are done cooking, take the can of coconut milk you refrigerated and open it. The cream should have separated in the cold and collected at the top.
10. Spoon 1/2 cup of the coconut cream into the soup and mix it in along with the frozen peas.
11. Once the peas are warm, the soup is ready! Taste and adjust the salt level to your liking
12. Enjoy! This soup is delicious served with roti, naan, or basmati rice.