Daal Shorba (Smooth Red Lentil Soup with Ginger, Cumin and Lemon)

Ingredients

• 150 g masoor daal (red lentils), rinsed
• 50 g moong daal (split yellow lentils), rinsed
• 1.4 l water, plus a little hot water to thin if needed
• 1 medium onion, roughly chopped
• 2 medium tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 1 medium carrot, peeled and diced
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• ½ tsp red chilli powder
• 1½ tsp salt, or to taste
• ¼ tsp garam masala
• ¼ tsp black pepper, freshly ground
• 2 tbsp ghee
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced (for the tarka)
• 2 whole dried red chillies
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 2 tbsp fresh coriander, finely chopped

Instructions

1. Rinse both daals in a bowl of cold water, swirling and draining, until the water runs almost clear. Drain well.
2. Put the daals, water, onion, tomatoes, carrot, ginger, crushed garlic, turmeric, chilli powder and salt in the pot. Bring to a boil over high heat and skim off any white foam.
3. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover with the lid slightly ajar and simmer for 25 minutes. Stir now and then. The daal is ready when it has collapsed and the carrot squashes easily against the side of the pot.
4. Take the pot off the heat and blend the soup with an immersion blender until completely smooth. If using a countertop blender, let it cool a few minutes and blend in batches with the lid vented.
5. Return to low heat and stir in the garam masala and black pepper. Add a little hot water if the soup is thicker than single cream. Simmer for 5 minutes and taste for salt.
6. Make the tarka: heat the ghee in a small pan over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and let them sizzle for 10 seconds, then add the sliced garlic and dried chillies.
7. Cook for about 1 minute, stirring, until the garlic is golden but not dark brown. Take it off the heat straight away, as burnt garlic turns bitter.
8. Turn off the soup, stir in the lemon juice, then pour the sizzling tarka over the top. Scatter with coriander and serve hot.

Tips

• Blend until very smooth for a true shorba texture. For a more rustic bowl, blend only half and stir it back in.
• Red lentils cook fast and settle at the bottom, so stir from the base of the pot every few minutes to stop them catching.
• Add the lemon juice off the heat so it stays bright and fresh.
• The soup thickens as it stands. Loosen it with hot water rather than cold, so the flavour stays even.