Red Lentil Soup with Squash and Ginger

Red lentil, squash, ginger soup.

In the fall of the year, I am always on the lookout for new soup recipes, and I found this one in the NY Times.  I have modified this recipe by Martha Shulman.  Lentil soup is a favorite of ours, but never have I used red lentils.  I was intrigued by the use of a new (to me) kind of lentil especially in combination with winter squash.   And anything with a touch of ginger is always appealing.   

 

                                      Red lentil, squash, ginger soup

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, minced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• ½ teaspoon turmeric
• 5 cups of diced butternut squash (I use the already diced available at the grocery.)
• 2 quarts water 
• Salt
• Black pepper
• 2 teaspoons butter 
• Plain yogurt, for garnish

Preparation

Heat oil over medium heat in large, heavy soup pot. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, and cumin seeds. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 seconds to a minute.

Stir in turmeric, squash, red lentils and 2 quarts water. Turn up heat, add salt to taste and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, skim off foam, cover and simmer 35 to 45 minutes, until squash and lentils are tender.

 

Purée soup using an immersion blender (or working in batches in a blender).  Add black pepper and heat through.

 

Just before serving, add butter.

Add a dollop of yogurt as garnish.

Somewhere along the way of my learning to cook I discovered an easy way to peel garlic using the bowl of a spoon.

The red lentils turn a pale yellow when cooked.  

 

This recipe did not disappoint!