Red Lentil and Carrot Soup with Coconut
2 C dry red lentils
1 tbsp. vegetable oil
2 onions, finely chopped
2 large carrots, peeled and chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. turmeric
2 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 can (28 oz.) tomatoes, including juice
6 C vegetable stock
1 can (14 oz.) coconut milk
1 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 long red chili pepper or 2 Thai chilies, finely chopped (or hot pepper sauce)
thin lemon slices (optional)
finely chopped coriander
1. In a colander, rinse lentils thoroughly under cold running water. Set aside.
2. In a skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions and carrots and cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, turmeric, cumin, salt and pepper and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add tomatoes with juice and bring to a boil, breaking up with the back of a spoon. Stir in reserved lentils and stock.
3. Transfer mixture to slow cooker stoneware. Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours or on high for 4 or 5 hours, until carrots are tender and mixture is bubbling. Stir in coconut milk, lemon juice and chili pepper and cook on high for 20 to 30 minutes, until heated through.
4. When ready to serve, ladle into bowls and top with lemon slices and cilantro, if using.
Serves 8 to 10 as starter or 4 to 6 as a main course.
Spelt Biscuits
I got this recipe off of the All Recipes website last year when I was trying to find wheat-free recipes. These are a bit crumbly but really good.
2 C spelt flour
1 tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
6 tbsp. butter
2/3 C milk
1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Farenheit.
2. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder and salt. Cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Gradually stir in milk, until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. You may need to adjust the amount of milk. Pat out on a floured surface to about 1-inch thick. Cut into biscuits and place on a baking sheet.
3. Bake in the oven for 12 to 15 minutes, until the bottoms are golden brown.
