Nile River Red Lentil Soup

This is my favorite soup. It's inexpensive, you can keep all of the ingredients on hand, it's got complex flavors, it's filling, you can tweak it a little each time you make it and it always comes out perfect...and it's so healthy. Red lentils can be hard to find (maybe only when you live in Lynchburg!) so I usually stock up at Whole Foods when we make the trip up to Charlottesville; red lentils can be stored in an airtight container for up to a year.

Thanks to Angela for making me smile and think of her every time I make this soup...she called it "West Nile Soup" by mistake! (I think it's called Nile River Soup because red lentils are also called Egyptian lentils.)

1 tbsp. olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped (or coarsely chopped, if you have an immersion blender)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup red lentils, rinsed
2 teaspoons ground (or fresh) ginger
2 teaspoons ground coriander (this is the seed from cilantro, did you know that?)
2 teaspoons ground cumin (I usually add more, I love stinky cumin)
4 cups vegetable or chicken stock
2 slices of lemon (about 1/4 inch thick)
1/2 cup canned (or fresh) chopped tomatoes (I usually throw in the whole can)
salt and pepper to taste (I don't even bother)
OPTIONAL (but I leave it out when I want Lucie to eat with us) 1/4 tsp. cayenne

Heat oil in a heavy pot on medium high heat. Sauté onion and garlic until softened. Stir in lentils, ginger, cumin, coriander and coat with the onion/garlic mixture. Add lemon slices, stock, tomatoes, cayenne, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 30-45 minutes or until lentils are tender (red lentils cook much more quickly than other lentils). If you prefer your soup thin, add more water or stock.

Take the pot off the burner, discard lemon slices, and puree the soup with an immersion blender (I found mine brand new for $3 in a Goodwill store, but you can find them for under $50) , regular blender or food processor.

OH MY GOD! I made this soup last night and want to make it all over again. Make a lot, because you'll love it.