Day 19 - Indian Lentil-Cauliflower Soup

Gary is exploring some more Indian recipes so that his best friends can get a taste of the country before they head off on their big adventure. His newest meal: Indian Lentil-Cauliflower soup. This recipe was taken from Oh She Glow, the new vegan cookbook that everyone seems to be raving about.

"Umm... why are the trees white?"

Gary was trying to get everything done as he was cooking the recipe, so as to save some time. Here he is sniffing the concoction to see if any spices need to be added: 

And even thought he tried to prepare everything as fast as he could, even as the meal was cooking, he still managed to take 30 minutes longer than the recipe indicated. Luckily, his guests are very patient and enjoyed the meal nevertheless.

"Sorry for the wait, but it was well worth it, eh?" :)

Indian Lentil-Cauliflower Soup

Prep: 30 minutes

Cook: 32-37 minutes

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon coconut oil or other oil
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
• 1 to 2 tablespoons curry powder, to taste
• 1 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 6 cups vegetable broth
• 1 cup uncooked red lentils, rinsed and drained
• 1 medium cauliflower, chopped into bite-size florets
• 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and diced
• 2 large handfuls baby spinach
• 3/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt, or to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Chopped fresh cilantro, for serving (optional)

Directions:

1. In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté for 5-6 minutes, until translucent. 
2. Stir in the ginger, 1 tablespoon of the curry powder, coriander, and cumin and sauté for 2 minutes more, until fragrant. 
3. Add the broth and red lentils and stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a low boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes more. 
4. Stir in the cauliflower and sweet potato. Cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer for 20-25 minutes, until the cauliflower and sweet potato are tender. Season with the salt and pepper, and add more curry powder, if desired. Stir in the spinach and cook until wilted. 
5. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with cilantro, if desired.