Want to know

MIDDLE-EASTERN LENTIL SOUP

This soup was from an old recipe book from our nearby library (I don’t remember which one). I had this recipe jotted down in my notebook for quite sometime. Since this is the first time I am preparing this soup, I am sticking on to the original recipe. If needed, this soup can be tweaked according to our taste. I have used mung beans here. If needed, red lentils can also be used. Mung beans give a different taste to the soup than the red lentil.

INGREDIENTS:
Mung beans, 1 cup.
Onion, large, 1.
Red bell pepper, 1.
Cumin powder, 1 teaspoon.
Chili powder, 1 teaspoon.
Fennel seeds, ¼ teaspoon.
Garlic, 2 cloves.
Salt as per taste.
Chicken broth or vegetable broth or water, 4 cups.

PREPARATION:
Wash the mung beans well and cook them in a pot for 20-30 minutes until they are tender but still retain their shape. Care should be taken not to mush the beans. Chop the onion and red bell pepper into small pieces and crush the garlic coarsely. Heat some oil in a pot and when the oil is hot enough, add the chopped onion and sauté for a few minutes until the onion is caramelized. Then add the chopped bell pepper and garlic and sauté for another minute. Then add the chili powder, cumin powder, fennel seeds, salt along with 4 cups of broth or water. Add the cooked mung beans and mix everything well. Let it simmer for 10 minutes and serve the hot soup with a dollop of sour cream or low fat yogurt on top.