Rating: 3.5/5
Soup is generally not very photogenic. Especially when it's a bean soup. But looks, luckily, do not reflect on taste. This is a spiced lentil soup. I say spiced because it has spice in it (tumeric), but is not very spicy-hot.
I have adapted this recipe from one I tore out of a magazine. I can't remember which, because I cut it out. Anyway, the recipe called for just taking about a half an hour of time to make whereas I've converted it for the crockpot.
There are many, many types of lentils ranging all the way from yellow to black. Each color will have a different flavor and consistency and therefore, different uses. This recipe calls for red lentils, which are supposed to be good for sauces and soups because they break down with cooking. Green lentils, by comparison, will retain their shape. In my case, I had little bits of this and that. I had about 1/2 cup of green, 1/4 cup of brown, and 1/4 of a different type of red. I had to go and buy some more red, which was a different variety from what I already had. So mine came out to be a mixed lentil soup.
Spiced Lentil Soup
2 c red lentils
1 serrano chili pepper, chopped
1 1 1/2 inch of ginger, grated
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1/4 t tumeric
4 c vegetable broth
2 c water
salt to taste
Put everything but the salt into the crockpot and cook on low for 6-8 hours. Season with salt to taste at end.