Lentil Soup

Lentil soup, otherwise known as Shourbat (soup) Adas (lentils) in Arabic, can make you feel satisfied no matter your quantity of hunger.
Nutritionally balanced even in its simplest form, the basic lentil soup consists of boiled lentils (providing for adequate protein and fibrous starch) mixed with browned onions, salt and pepper.

Some countries make it a tomato-based soup, others boil it with the bones of a chicken to impart flavor, while still some still vary from the basic recipe by adding a variety of vegetables like garlic, carrots, celery or crushed tomatoes. In many places where funds are low and food is scarce, some versions of the soup added rice or bread crumbs to the boiling lentils to increase the thickness of the soup liquid and improve their satiety.  In more affluent places, the creativity with the soup gravitates toward the use of meat in the soup like shredded chicken or red meats.  No matter the variety, the basic nutritional balance of lentil soup will satisfy hunger on a tight budget, and give the body the basic macro nutrients for survival. Plus, because of its well-rounded basic nutrition, it is great at the end of one's fast.

My lentil soup recipe that follows consists of just lentils, caramelized onions, water and spices. Most people like their soup pureed before serving to make the soup a more congruous consistency, but my family prefers theirs whole. As a teen, my dad would reminded me after each disastrous attempt at lentil soup, the secret to a great lentil soup is a to make it sweeter with a lot of caramelized onions.  Note the mound of browned onions in the picture. This one's for my papa.

One of my favorite versions of this soup involves adding crushed tomatoes (seeds and tomato skins removed), as well as cumin and a pinch of mustard powder. After mastering the basic soup recipe, feel free to elaborate with any additions, subtractions or substitutions you desire. Be creative! And let me know your results!

Lentil Soup
Makes 4 servings.

• 1 onion, diced finely, with 1/4 of the onion cut into long thin strings (for garnish)
• 1 TB olive oil for frying
• 2 cups lentils (brown or orange, or a combination of the two)
• 4 cups water (may use low sodium or homemade broth instead)
• 1 tsp salt 
• 1 tsp Seven Spices
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• Juice from 1 lemon (optional)

1. In an 8-quart pot on medium heat, warm the oil and add the onions. Stir them frequently, for about 25 minuets or until browned. 
2. Remove the browned onions from the pot and set aside. Keep any remaining oil in the pot.
3. Put lentils with water, salt and spices in the same 8-quart pot on high heat. When the water starts to boil, reduce the heat to medium, cover the pot, and allow the lentils to simmer for about 30 minutes until a lentil can be squished easily between your fingers. (If you want yours pureed, now is the time to do it-- use an immersion blender or allow the soup to cool 15 minutes before putting it in the smoothie blender)
4. Mix in the diced, caramelized onions, reserving the caramelized onion strings as garnish.
5. Ladle the soup into bowls, placing the caramelized onions on top for garnish, and a lemon wedge if your guest desires added flavor in their soup.

Nutrition facts for 1.5 cups of lentil soup:
202 total calories, 30gm total carbohydrate, 8 gm fiber, 16oz protein, 2gm fat
(2 Carb (1.5 net carb), 0.5 Fat, and 2 protein exchanges)

Ramadan Kareem: Best wishes for a happy Ramadan!

I hold high esteem for muslims everywhere, and beginning such a holy month and fasting in the heat of this July, I commend you, and I fast with you. This being my first post, I want to honor some traditions of the middle east upon breaking one's fast.

After a long, hard day, I feel my mouth watering for nearly anything, the idea of grilled meat, glistening as it releases its signature aroma and sizzles against a flame pulls me in, the smell of the neighbor's freshly cut grass finds me dreaming of a fresh crisp salad, and the sight of a mere fountain spraying makes my mouth water.

It is tradition to break one's fast with dates. The sugary concentrate livens the tongue and rapidly re-energizes the soul after 12 hours without. Oftentimes, other dried fruits may also be used in place of dates, but dates are specifically mentioned in the Quran. These are nutritionally dense, with fiber, sugar, and plenty of minerals, and don't take space in the stomach like liquids often do, so they are very highly recommended when your tolerance for large food quantity is low. Additionally, eating a light meal at the end of one's fast will be much less taxing on the digestive system than a meaty, high fat meal. The reasoning behind this is that meat and fat are generally very complex to digest, and may cause digestive pains and constipation if you are eating less often.

The first food course is usually a soup, most commonly lentil soup. There are usually many other dishes, oftentimes multiple types of each food category (meats, starches, vegetables, etc) shared among family in friends. Enough talking about food, I'm horribly hungry! On to break my fast!





On my table we have apricot leather lined and rolled with almonds (to replace my dates that a little mouse in my house with my last name has eaten), my lentil soup, cucumber and tomato salad with fresh mint, and of course to satisfy the carnivore within, a raw meat dish called kibbeh. Welcome to my table, and happy Ramadan! Recipes for these are coming within the next week!