This is part of my on going effort to cook less than three cups of legumes at once. It's easier with lentils because they take half an hour to cook.
Serves 3- and it's better on the second day, honestly.
Chop one onion (or two, if you want) and one carrot. (or two, if you want) Saute in 1 tsp oil until translucenty- 3-4 minutes.
Crush 5 cloves garlic with great force and mash with several pinches of salt.
Add 1 tsp each cumin, coriander, and cinnamon to the onions and carrots. (If you get confused and start adding all of the spices you own that start with C, consider chili and cumin.) Stir. Add the garlic mixture. Stir. Cook for 4-5 minutes.
Add either two chopped tomatoes, 2 tbs tomato paste (if you are the sort of person with open tomato paste in your fridge) or 1/4 cup canned tomatoes, crushed.
Add 1 tbs sugar.
Add 1/2 cup lentils. (I use green lentils {actually mud colored}, but I think French lentils are more authentic. The cooking time will increase to 45 minutes.) Stir rapidly, and then add 4 cups of water or broth.
Simmer for 30 odd minutes, until the lentils have started to come apart in the soup.
Garnish with cilantro and eat.
Hooray! A new way to do lentil soup. I look forward to trying this because it's a lot like my lentil soup, but the cinnamon and coriander are sure to make it much more lively than mine, especially since our citrus are in a resting phase. (I have forgotten how to cook without fresh limes on hand at all times.)
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