After yesterday’s turkey blowout (and all the other desserts and appetizers and bread and goodies that everyone brought) we needed to kick it down a notch and eat something lighter and restorative.<\/p>\n
Tonight Debbie fixed lentil soup from a recipe from our friend Divya Rajdev. This soup is easy to make and is simultaneously light and satisfying and leaves you feeling whole again after eating it.<\/p>\n
Lentil Soup<\/b><\/p>\n
1\/2 cup moong daal (yellow lentils, available even in mainstream grocery stores in Fort Wayne)
\n1\/2 cup masoor daal (orange lentils)
\n1\/2 tsp turmeric
\n1\/4 tsp salt (or to taste)<\/p>\n
Boil lentils, turmeric, and salt in 2 cups of water (or chicken broth is even better if you’re not vegetarian) until tender. Doesn’t take long, 20 minutes or so. Set aside.<\/p>\n
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
\n1 tsp cumin seeds (we rarely have cumin seeds on hand, ground is fine)
\n2-3 finely chopped garlic cloves
\n1\/4 tsp coriander
\n1\/4 t red chili powder (to taste)<\/p>\n
Heat the oil in a pan. Add garlic and fry til light brown (if you want, finely chop some onion and brown it with the garlic) Add remaining ingredients and cook for one minute.<\/p>\n
Stir the spice mixture (which is called tadka) into the lentils and serve.<\/p>\n
Garnish with chopped cilantro if you like.<\/p>\n
This recipe makes a generous portion of two. We like to double it to have some for lunch the next day. This is a truly amazing dish that you owe it to yourself to try sometime.<\/p>\n
Another of my favorite restorative soup recipes follows. This is from Food & Wine magazine and is another soup that will lift your spirits. It’s great when you’re under the weather or just tired of the gray skies.<\/p>\n
Spinach Egg Drop Soup<\/b><\/p>\n
5 cups chicken stock
\nOne 3-inch piece of fresh ginger peeled, 2\/3’s thinly sliced, rest cut into matchsticks (julienned)
\n1 teaspoon white pepper (don’t go buy white pepper if you don’t have, black pepper will work fine)
\n2 large eggs, lightly beaten
\n2 cups packed spinach leaves, with stems
\nSalt to taste<\/p>\n
Bring the chicken stock to a boil with the sliced ginger and 1\/2 teaspoon of the white pepper. Cover and simmer over low heat for 5 minutes. Strain and return the stock to the saucepan.<\/p>\n
Add the ginger matchsticks to the stock and return the stock to a boil. Reduce the heat to low. Gently stir in the eggs, breaking them into long strands, and cook for about 30 seconds. <\/p>\n
Stir in the spinach and remove from the heat. Season with salt and the remaining 1\/2 teaspoon of white pepper. <\/p>\n
Serve immediately. This is enough for four.<\/p>\n
These are two recipes that if you’re feeling bloated and loggy from holiday excesses will get you back on track.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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