Thursday, April 22, 2010

SPICE UP YOUR NIGHT

This soup was very popular at my 30th birthday party several years back - it's hearty warmth appreciated on that winter night on Sydney's south coast. It makes a regular appearance each winter, autumn and even on days like today - where Billie and I had a lovely ocean swim.

Tonight was Billie's inaugural tasting, and she scoffed a whole bowl back.


SPICED LENTIL AND PUMPKIN SOUP WITH YOGHURT

3/4 cup brown lentils
1 cup water
2 tblspns olive oil
2 brown onions, chopped
2 tspns ground coriander
1 tspn ground cumin
1 tspn tumeric
1 tblspn butter (optional)
1/4-1/2 pumpkin, chopped
2 cups water
black pepper

Wash lentils and place in small pot with 1 cup water. Simmer for 20 mins, or until water almost gone. Heat oil in large pot and add onions. Saute until soft, add spices and saute gently for couple more minutes. Add 2 cups water, pumpkin, pepper and lentils. Replace lid and turn up heat. Boil gently with lid on until soft (about 20 mins). Remove from heat and blend (doesn't need to be completely smooth). Spoon into bowls and top with a large dollop of plain yoghurt.

Note on salt: I have previously made this soup with salt and stock, but for Billie;s benefit I omitted both. After having a bowl with her tonight I don't think I'll bother salting it. But check for seasoning before serving, you can always scoop some out for baby and then salt before returning to heat.

Adapted from the Vegetarian Adventure Cookbook, by Rowan Bishop and Sue Carruthers

5 comments:

  1. Yum, looking forward to making winter soups. I love lentil ones too and various pumpkin ones and my all time favourite is tomato, mushroom and potato. Tomato not so great for Billie yet though ah?

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  2. aha - her one experience of tomato was no way jose...too acidic apparently. When do they get over that? Your tomato, mushroom and potato soup sounds very interesting...

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  3. Maisie hates everything with a hint of tomato also, interesting Billie does too and she's not alone in that one - hoping they get over that soon as we tend to eat a lot of tomato based sauces!

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  4. Something happened and I stopped getting your replies and I am just noticing now. Anyway that soup recipe is from here http://www.cuisine.co.nz/index.cfm?pageId=14227
    Mouth is watering thinking about it. Petrina has made a pumpkin and feta filo pie tonight though so I just need to cook some greens to have with it when I get home.

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  5. Re tomatoes - Actually I've discovered that Billie will do them if they are off the canned and cooked variety. So she has had a bit of homemade red sauce using Italian tin tom, and liked it. I think fresh ones are too acidic.
    Re soup -thanks hannah, I'm making a list now of recipes offered on this blog that I must try. I'll report back

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