Lemon Lentil Soup

This recipe is based on a recipe from A Higher Taste but with a few variations. Garlic and onion is not suitable for Lord Krsna, but they are suitable for me, so I added them.





You will need:
6 c water
1 c rinsed lentils
1 small potato, peeled and cut into 1/2 in. or smaller cubes
1 c chopped celery (about 2 stalks)
1-2 Tb. olive oil
dash hing
about 1/4 c chopped red or white onion
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 Tb. ground coriander
1/2 tsp. cumin
1 lemon {2 Tbsp lemon juice and lemon zest (see below)}
generous amount of salt
few grinds fresh pepper
fresh parsley and cilantro

Bring lentils and water to a boil in a large pot. Simmer for 35 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a separate pan, heat oil and add potato, onion, hing, and pepper. Cook 2-3 minutes.
Add garlic and celery and cook 1-2 min longer. Set aside.

Zest the lemon (I use a microplane for fluffy, pith-free zest) and set zest aside. Juice lemon and reserve 2 Tb. of the juice. Refrigerate the rest for another use.

After the 35 min. is up on the lentils, add the contents of the pan. Cook for 10 more minutes. Add lemon juice, zest, coriander, and cumin and cook for 10 more minutes.
Add cilantro and parsley just before serving.

Note: You can blend 1/2 or all of the soup for a smoother texture. I like to do about 1/2 because I like texture and broth together.

Note on hing: Hing is also called asafoetida and is available at Indian grocery stores. Don't be scared- right out of the container is smells like straight up bad B.O. (sorry! ...and let's be honest, cumin smells, too but it is yummy) but in food it tastes fine. In some types of cooking, it replaces garlic and onion completely.