Serves 4-5
Ingredients
- 1 T canola oil
- 1 small onion or 1/2 medium, chopped
- 2 large garlic cloves, minced
- 2 t cumin seeds, lightly toasted and ground
- 1 T tomato paste
- 1 1/3 c brown lentils, rinsed and picked over
- 6 c water
- Salt to taste
- 1 to 2 canned chipotles in adobo, to taste, rinsed, seeded and sliced, plus a t of the adobo sauce
- Croutons or toasted tortilla chips for garnish (optional)
Directions
Heat the canola oil over medium heat in a large, heavy soup pot. Add the
onion. Cook, stirring, until tender, about five minutes. Add the garlic,
cumin and tomato paste. Cook, stirring, until the mixture is fragrant,
30 seconds to a minute. Stir in the lentils and water, add salt to taste
(1 to 2 teaspoons) and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover
and simmer until the lentils are very tender, about 50 minutes. Taste
and adjust seasoning.
Using a hand blender, coarsely purée the soup, or purée half the soup in
batches in a blender. (Make sure to remove the stopper from the blender
lid and hold a towel tightly down over the top to avoid hot splashes.)
Stir the blended soup back into the pot, and combine well. Add the
chipotles, and heat through. Taste and adjust seasonings. Garnish each
serving with croutons or toasted tortilla chips if desired.