Spicy Lemon Lentil Soup
- Total Time: 40 mins
- Yield: 2 servings 1x
Description
Serve this soup over rice for a comforting dinner or pour it into a mug for a warming snack anytime.
Ingredients
- Toor Dal (yellow lentils) - 1/4 C (60 ml)
- Coconut milk - 1/4 C (60 ml)
- Green Chillies - 2 , slit in halves
- Turmeric - a pinch
- Salt - To taste
- Water - 2 C (480 ml)
- Lemon juice - 1/4 C (60 ml)
For the tempering
- Ghee - 1 tsp (5 ml)
- Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
- Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
- Asafoetida - a pinch, optional
- Coriander leaves - a handful, for garnish
Instructions
- In a pressure cooker, boil the lentils till they are cooked.
- Mash the cooked lentils for a better body for the soup.
- Once done, pour the cooked lentils in a cooking pan, add the water and turmeric and bring to a boil.
- Add the coconut milk, the cut chillies and the salt and boil this for another couple of min on medium flame. Keep aside.
- Prepare the tempering by heating the ghee in another cooking dish and adding the mustard, cumin and asafoetida.
- Pour the tempering on the cooked soup, and top this with the lemon juice. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.
- Serve hot.
- Prep Time: 30 mins
- Cook Time: 10 mins
- Category: Soup
- Cuisine: South Indian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 150
If You Liked This Recipe, You’ll Love These
- Lemon and Butternut Squash Soup
- Kolkata-Style Spicy Chili Chicken
- Creamy Onion Soup
- Spicy Honey Glazed Skillet Shrimp
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the tempering step, and why does it go on at the very end?
Tempering (tadka) means heating ghee until hot, then blooming whole mustard seeds, cumin seeds, and a pinch of asafoetida in it — the seeds pop and release their flavor into the fat. Pouring this over the finished soup preserves the sharp, aromatic punch of the spices instead of muting them during the longer simmer.
When is the lemon juice added, and why does timing matter?
The 1/4 cup lemon juice goes in after the tempering has been poured over the soup and just before serving. Adding it off-heat keeps the brightness intact — prolonged cooking dulls citrus and can turn it slightly bitter.
