Wednesday, January 8, 2014

Lentil Veggie Harissa Soup [Zack]

We just got back from vacation, where we over-indulged (to say the least).  We are always looking for something healthy and comforting to welcome us back into the house.  Lentils are most often our go-to play.  They are easy to cook, and since they are dried, you can keep them in the pantry to be available when needed.  Toss in some other veggies, add some stock, and you have a quick meal to return some sanity to your diet.


Process:

Chop and dice your peppers, mushrooms, onions, garlic, and tomatoes.  Start your pressure cooker or pot on medium heat with a little bit of oil on the bottom.  Saute the red peppers, onions, and mushrooms until they develop a bit of browning.

Add 1T of harissa powder and the chopped garlic, and stir until fragrant.  Harissa powder is a Tunisian mix of chiles, cumin, garlic, coriander, caraway, and cinnamon.  If you can't find the powder, just use chiles, cumin and garlic powder in even quantities.

The tomatoes go in next, along with the lentils.  Stir in your chicken (or veg) stock and water.  Cover the pressure cooker and cook for 15 minutes.  If you're using a normal pot, it will take a bit longer, but just taste the lentils to make sure they are cooked through.  Don't forget to shake the pot around so the lentils don't burn on the bottom.

When it's finished, stir in some keffir or yogurt and sprinkle some extra harissa powder on top if you're feeling brave.  An avocado will boost your veg count.


Ingredients:
2 red peppers
2 cups brown mushrooms
3 red onions
4 medium-sized tomatoes
2 cloves garlic
1.5 cup lentils
2 cups chicken stock (or veg stock)
2 cups water
1T harissa powder
keffir or plain yogurt
1 avacado to garnish

Song:  The Cardigans - Love Me
Love me by The Cardigans on Grooveshark

No comments:

Post a Comment