The stew was influenced by Indian cuisine, Goan cuisine in particular, and it was delicious. I loved the creaminess of the red lentils and coconut as well as the blend of spices he used. I have made the soup several times and modified the original recipe in several ways. One big change is that I used much less coconut milk: I used 3/4 cup instead of an entire 14-ounce can. Although full-fat coconut milk imparts great flavor and gives richness to a dish, I don’t want a weeknight dish to be too heavy. I also added some quinoa to make the red lentil soup more of a balanced meal. In addition, I changed the vegetables in the recipe, and altered the cooking process in the beginning. Finally, I doubled the amount of red pepper flakes in the recipe because I could barely detect any heat in the original recipe. Don’t worry, the heat should not be overwhelming here!
COOKING NOTES FOR THE RED LENTIL SOUP
Can you substitute any of the spices?
If the spices listed below are not easily accessible, I recommend using a mild yellow curry powder instead of the dried spices. Often times, yellow curry spice blends include those spices anyway. I would use at least a tablespoon of the yellow curry powder and add more if needed.
Can I use another grain?
Yes, but make sure to use a grain that cooks in roughly 30 minutes, such as white rice, bulgur wheat, or millet.
Other ways to eat the red lentil soup
I LOVE the leftovers of the red lentil soup. The soup will thicken the next day. I reheated leftover soup and poured it over cooked bulgur like a sauce. The bulgur tasted amazing with a side of baked salmon. You can swap the salmon for any protein you prefer, such as tofu, chickpeas, or chicken.
MORE RECIPES FEATURING COCONUT MILK
This recipe uses about 1/2 a can of coconut milk. Wondering how you can use the rest of it? Here are some suggestions:
Red Curry Wonton Soup with Zucchini NoodlesCoconut Rice with Hint of LimeHot & Sour Coconut Noodle SoupCurried Chickpeas with Mint & Cilantro ChutneyZucchini Noodles with Tomato & Coconut Broth
