Red Lentil and Coconut Soup with Black Rice, Turmeric and Greens

Today we woke up to a quiet but steady rain. It has been very dry here on the coast in Oregon, so this was a welcome sight. The first thing that came to mind was that I had watered the garden just yesterday. The second thing was that I needed to make some soup. Love rainy days like this.

I've had this soup bookmarked since it first came in the mail. Deborah Madison is one of my favorites; I admire how she thinks about and treats the vegetables in her recipes; she's a master. Anyway, her red lentil and coconut soup with black rice, turmeric and greens is now one of my favorites. Lentils and coconut pair so well together. Then the cilantro stems and chard is added. Some mustard seeds are thrown in that add more flavor and just a little crunch. The soup is finished with a small scoop of black rice. The taste is amazing! Even my husband likes this and he is not the biggest fan of my hippie lentil dishes.

This recipe has been slightly adapted from the "Vegetable Literacy", cookbook by Deborah Madison. Adapted version is listed here.

Ingredients:

For soup:

1 1/4 cups red lentils
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1 large onion (diced, finely)
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon curry powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons mustard seeds
1 teaspoon salt
1 bunch cilantro (stems only, cut into 1/4 lengths)
1 15-ounce can coconut milk - light
5 cups water
1/2 bunch chard leaves (cut into ribbons)
3 to 4 teaspoons melted coconut butter

For garnish:

1 cup cooked black rice (follow package instructions)

To Prepare:

*Rinse lentils before cooking to remove any dirt and be sure to pick through carefully to remove any rocks or foreign objects. This little step could avoid a very painful encounter with a tooth.*

In a large soup pot add sesame oil over medium heat, then add onion and cook until softened. Add turmeric, curry, cumin, mustard seeds and cilantro. Cook until fragrant a few minutes more.

Add lentils, coconut milk, water and salt to soup pot and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer partially covered. Simmer about 20 minutes until lentils are soft and broken. Add chard and cook until tender. Just before serving add coconut butter.

Keep black rice separate and add a small scoop individually to each soup bowl. Enjoy!