Moong Dhal Vegetable Soup

This moong dhal veg soup is easy to make, also it is nourishing and tasty and is a satisfying simple meal with rice or chapatti.

Moong dhal soup can be made thin and blended smooth, to be used as a gravy. It can be made thick, spicy and unblended, with bits of fresh ginger, tomato and cilantro.

You can now try moong dhal, thick and chunky with vegetables. You can eat it often, because it’s satisfying, easily digested, and versatile. It goes with every kind of grain or vegetable, and freezes well for quick meals.

This version of moong dhal calls for yam and spinach, but it’s also tasty with cauliflower or carrot and green beans, or tomato or potato instead of yam. Vary the veggies according to your taste.

Don’t skimp on the oil, as legumes are astringent, and the oil makes the soup smooth and rich. Plus this is a big recipe. We suggest freezing what you don’t eat for another day.

Ingredients for 8 servings

3 cups moong dhal
1 large yam, peeled and chopped in bite sized pieces(or250gms cauliflower,carrot and green beans)
2 stalks celery, washed and sliced thin
2 cups washed, chopped fresh spinach or frozen spinach
1 - 2 Tblsp fresh minced ginger
2 - 4 Tblsp olive oil, or safflower oil
1 bay leaf
1 cinnamon stick
6 green cardamom pods
1 Tblsp gr. cumin
1 Tblsp gr. coriander
1 tsp gr. fennel
1 tsp powdered turmeric

Optional: pinch hing (asafetida)

1 - 2 tsp rock salt
6 cups water or vegan soup stock
Freshly ground pepper to taste
2 tblsp lemon juice
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:

Wash and rinse the dhal. Soak in hot water to cover for an hour, or 4 - 8 hours in cold water.

Drain the dhal, place in a medium stock pot, and cover with 6 cups of the water or soup stock. Bring to a boil, skim the foam, add the bay leaf, cinnamon stick, cardamom pods, and fresh ginger.

Add the chopped celery, vegetables or yam and ginger to the dhal, and bring back to a boil.

Reduce heat to simmer, and cook covered for an hour or more, stirring occasionally. Add more water or stock if the soup seems too thick.

When the dhal is soft but still intact, fish out the cinnamon stick, bay leaf and the cardamom pods if you can find them.

Heat the oil on low in a small frying pan. Mix in the dry spices and salt, and heat until foaming - keep your eye on them so they don’t burn

Spoon a cup of liquid from the dhal, and stir into the spice mixture. Transfer all to the dhal soup and stir it in.

Add the chopped spinach and lemon juice, and cook for 5 - 10 minutes or until the spinach is thawed or wilted

Serve garnished with fresh chopped cilantro.

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