Lentil Soup in the Soup Maker

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A bowl of freshly made golden coloured lentil soup which has been made in the soup maker

5 from 1 vote

This delicious soup maker lentil soup, uses red lentils and was inspired by my favourite takeaway dal. Warming, comforting, filling and soupy - adjust the flavours to your taste.

Servings:

Author: Helen Best-Shaw

Prep Time5

Cook Time30

Total Time35

Ingredients

1 carrot
1 stick celery
2 tbsp olive oil or ghee
1 tsp garlic paste
1 tsp ginger paste
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp garam masala
180 g red lentils
½ tsp chilli
1 stock cube / pot

To finish / garnish

1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp butter

Metric - USA Cups

Instructions

Prepare the vegetables. Peel, top and tail and and roughly chop the carrot. Destring and chop the celery stalk into 2 inch/5cm pieces.
1 carrot, 1 stick celery
Sauté the spices - add the oil, the spices and garlic and ginger pastes and allow to sauté for about two and a half minutes until fragrant.
If using ghee allow it to melt before adding the rest of the ingredients.
My soup maker's full 5 minute sauté cycle is too long so I stop it half way though. I tend to leave the central bung out of the lid when sautéing so steam can escape.
If your soup maker does not have a sauté function then skip this stage.
2 tbsp olive oil or ghee, 1 tsp garlic paste, 1 tsp ginger paste, 1 tsp ground coriander, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp garam masala
Add the rest of the ingredients to the machine.
Fill with water to the 6 cup mark on the jug. This will be about 4 cups of water, or about a litre.
180 g red lentils, ½ tsp chilli, 1 stock cube / pot
Put the lid on, remembering to replace the central bung, if you removed it for sautéing and press the smooth soup cycle.
Most machines will take about thirty minutes, finishing with a longer blend to make a completely smooth and velvety soup.
While the soup is cooking and blending it may look as if it is too thin. It will thicken as it cools and will be the perfect texture when you come to eat it.
Once the cycle has finished check the flavour and seasoning. I like to add lemon juice, and a generous knob of butter, then pulse them in.
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice, 1 tbsp butter

Notes

Variations

The lemon juice is a great flavour enhancer for many soups and is what makes this version delicious.
Make the soup richer by adding a knob of butter add at the end of cooking and briefly pulse it in.
Add different fresh herbs at the end of cooking. I like to pulse them in rather than fully blend. Coriander / cilantro is delicious.
For a gentle mild and warming lentil soup only use turmeric and garam masala.

Soup Storage

Fridge – Allow your soup to cool to room temperature, pack into containers, seal and keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Freezer – Once cooled to room temperature, pack into containers, seal and freeze. Store for up to 6 months.

Reheating – Defrost in the fridge overnight, or on the kitchen counter for a few hours. You can reheat your soup in a pan on the stove top, or in a suitable container in the microwave. When using the microwave, I like to use a Pyrex jug for ease of handling.

Hints and tips

Do not worry if the soup seems too thin whilst cooking, by the time it has cooled enough to be able to eat it will be lovely and thick.
The recipe as written makes quite a spicy soup, adapt to your taste. Remember that all brands of spices are not equal and that a measuring teaspoon is often far smaller than one you use to stir drinks!
If your soup maker doesn’t have a sauté function, you can sauté the garlic, ginger and spices. briefly in a pan before putting them in the soup maker. If you decide to skip the sauté stage, don’t leave the oil or ghee out. You will miss it if you do.
To clean the machine firstly pulse a small amount of boiling water in the empty soup maker jug to dilute the remaining soup, then add it to the rest of the soup. Then clean the jug as below.
It is far easier to clean a soup maker while it is still warm. Rinse it under the hot tap, fill with warm water and add a few drops of washing up liquid. Set to blend for a few seconds. Then rinse again and leave to dry.

• Please note that the nutrition information provided below is approximate and meant as a guideline only.

• Unless stated otherwise cup conversions have been made with an online tool. For accuracy please check with your favoured conversion tool. We recommend buying inexpensive digital kitchen scales.