“Happy and successful cooking doesn't rely only on know-how; it comes from the heart, makes great demands on the palate and needs enthusiasm and a deep love of food to bring it to life.” - Georges Blanc, Ma Cuisine des Saisons! 
January 23, 2007
RED LENTIL-DILL SOUP WITH DILL CREAM !
Here is my first ever contribution to Kalyn's Weekend Herb Blogging!:) This week's WHB is hosted by Ed of"Tomato". Thank you for hosting. The herb I am using this week is a very flavorful and aromatic "Dill", one of my favorite herbs!
The name "dill" is thought to have originated from a Norse or Anglo-Saxon word 'dylle' meaning to soothe or lull, the plant having the carminative property of relieving gas.Its fernlike leaves as well as seeds are aromatic, and are used to flavor many foods, such as pickled salmon, borscht, soups and pickles.(Info:WIKI)
Dill Leaves:
Dill are best when used fresh, as they lose their flavor rapidly if dried, however, freeze-dried dill leaves preserve their flavor relatively well for a few months.It is also very easy to grow a supply of plants in summer months.Dill oil can be extracted from the leaves, stems and seeds of the plant.(Info: WIKI)Red Lentil-Dill Soup with Dill Cream:
This soup is inspired by Indian Dal. Dal-Roti (Lentil Gravy and Wheat flat bread) in India is as staple as Meat and Potato in the west.I chose to use Red Lentil for this as it is easily available and a bunch of aromatic Dill leaves with few Indian spices to make a delicious soup and topped with Sour Cream-Dill-Scallion cream and crisp fried Onion rings.You could add any veg and meat for texture and flavor if you like. Sounds great? Let's make some soup!:))
Serve this with some warm crusty bread to soak up all the soupy goodness!How To Make Soup:
Cook 1 cup red lentils with 4 cups of water in the microwave until soft and whisk.Heat 1 tbsp butter or oil in a pan,fry 1 minced onion until soft,add in 2 minced garlic,stir for a min.Add in 1 tbsp Coriander seeds pd,1 tsp cumin seeds pd,1/2 tsp Garam masala or 1/4 tsp Allspice,1/4 tsp turmeric, 1tsp paprika,1/2 cup Tomato sauce.
Stir for 2 mins.Do not burn the spices. Add cooked,mashed lentils,salt,1/8 tsp chill flakes if needed and a bunch of Dill leaves finely chopped (save 2 tbsp Dill for garnish) to the pot and let it boil.You can add water or veg stock to thin it if you like at this stage.Cover and simmer until dill is soft and cooked.Soup is ready when you see a thin film of oil or butter on top,adjust the salt and spices!
Meanwhile,cut 1 small onion to rings and fry in oil until reddish and crisp,drain on the paper towel and cool. Mix 1/4 cup Sour Cream with 2 tbsp Dill leaves,1 tbsp rounds of Scallion,salt and pepper in a bowl.That's it!
To Serve: Ladle the soup into a bowl, add a dollop of Sour Cream-Dill-Scallion cream in the middle and garnish with crisp fried onion rings ,some Scallion rounds on top and serve with a chunk of crusty bread!! YUM!!!!
Note: You can add 2 tsp Rasam Pd (Indian Spice pd) if you have it in your pantry to make a tastier soup and serve with rice!
Delicious Lentil-Dill soup is ready to dig in!!:))
Have a great tasting warm and spicy soup on a cold day! Enjoy!!:)
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