Mulligatawny soup with crispy lentils – vegetarian and hearty.
This recipe has been adapted into a vegetarian version – find the recipe with chicken here.
Mulligatawny soup with crispy lentils – a warming, spiced and hearty vegetarian soup with plenty of vegetables, red lentils and a wonderfully crisp topping. The soup is creamy, filling and full of warm spices, and the crispy green lentils on top add a lovely crunch.
I make the soup itself with onion, garlic, carrots, celery, apple, fresh chilli and ginger, joined by curry powder, cumin, turmeric, cinnamon, coriander and cardamom. Together they give the soup real depth and warmth. Red lentils make it pleasantly thick and substantial, and it is finished with coconut milk or cream and freshly squeezed lime.
The crispy green lentils are very easy to make. I toss cooked green lentils with a little olive oil and spices and bake them in the oven until crisp. Use whichever spices you prefer, and both home-cooked lentils and tinned green lentils work perfectly. The main thing is that the lentils are thoroughly dry before they go into the oven – that way they crisp up far more easily.
The lentils can bake in the oven while the mulligatawny soup finishes simmering, so it takes hardly any extra time. A really easy and delicious vegetarian take on the classic mulligatawny soup – full of flavour, warmth and lovely contrasting textures.
Mulligatawny Soup with Crispy Lentils
Ingredients
- 2 onions, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 2 carrots, cut into small dice
- 2 sticks celery, cut into small dice
- 1 apple, cut into small dice
- 1/2-1 red chilli, finely chopped (deseeded if you prefer)
- 3 cm fresh ginger, finely grated
- 3 tsp curry powder
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1/2 tsp ground coriander
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground cardamom
- 2 tbsp tomato purée
- 1 tin chopped tomatoes
- 200 ml red lentils
- 900-1000 ml vegetable or chicken stock
- 150 ml coconut milk (or whipping cream)
- Lime juice
- Olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
Crispy green lentils
- 200 g dried green lentils (or 2 tins)
- Olive oil
- Spices
To serve
- Cooked rice (optional)
- Fresh coriander or parsley
Method
Crispy green lentils
- If using tinned lentils, rinse them thoroughly and drain well in a sieve. Pat them dry with kitchen paper or a tea towel.
- If using dried lentils, rinse them thoroughly, then cook in lightly salted water for about 20 minutes. Rinse under cold water and drain well in a sieve. Pat them dry with kitchen paper or a tea towel.
- Toss the lentils with a little olive oil and season with salt and freshly ground pepper – and, if you like, a little smoked paprika, cumin, onion powder or whatever flavours you prefer.
- Spread them out on a baking tray lined with baking paper and bake in a preheated fan oven at 200°C for about 20-25 minutes. Turn them once during baking.
- Leave them to cool on the baking tray.
Mulligatawny soup
- Heat a little olive oil in a large saucepan and fry the onions until soft and translucent.
- Add the garlic, carrots, celery, apple, chilli and ginger and fry for a further 5 minutes.
- Stir in the spices, season with salt and freshly ground pepper, then add the tomato purée and cook, stirring, for a couple of minutes.
- Pour in the chopped tomatoes, rinsed red lentils and stock, and leave to simmer for about 20 minutes – or until the lentils are completely tender.
- Add the coconut milk (or cream), and season the soup to taste with freshly squeezed lime juice, salt and freshly ground pepper.
- Serve the soup with fresh herbs and the crispy lentils – and a little cooked rice if you like.
Nutrition
Premium
Kan man anvende madlavningsfløde i stedet for kokos ?
Hej Lisa
Ja absolut da – det kan du sagtens 🙂
Warm wishes, Dianna
Er i gang med batch nummer 2. Forrygende opskrift. Bruger dog mere af stort set alt. Da den er genial som Frysermad. Er som jeg husker i min ungdom for mange mange år siden. Kunne fås som dåsesuppe og spikes op med oksekød. Samme varme rige smag. Er røget ind lige ved siden af Ribolitoen som vintermad.
Hej Jakob
Ej hvor er det bare fantastisk at høre – det er jeg virkelig glad for 🙂
Elsker den selv, – den varme krydrede smag, perfekt til vintervejret 🙂
Dbh Dianna