Ingredients: |
Ingredients: 1 cup dried mung beans, washed and rinsed 5 cups cold water or vegetable stock 1/2 teaspoon turmeric 1 teaspoon cumin 1/2 teaspoon curry powder 1 teaspoon garam masala 4 teaspoons canola oil 1 medium onion, thinly sliced 4 garlic cloves, minced 2 or 3 large tomatoes, chopped a 2 inch piece of ginger, peeled and minced 2 or 3 chili peppers, very thinly sliced (do not remove the seeds) 1 cup coconut milk 1/2 cup minced fresh cilantro salt to taste juice of 1 lemon
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Directions: |
Directions:Place the mung beans in a pot with the 5 cups of cold water. Bring to a simmer and cook until beans are tender. (Do not boil. I cannot stress this enough. If you cook them at too high a temperature, they go mushy.)
Meanwhile, combine the turmeric, cumin, curry powder, and garam masala and set aside.
Then in a large soup pot, heat the canola oil over medium-high heat. Saute the onions until soft. Reduce the heat to medium-low, add the garlic, tomatoes, and the ginger. Saute for a minute or so.
Add the combined spices and the sliced chili pepper and saute for another minute. Next add the beans and their cooking liquid to the pot with the vegetables and spices. Add the coconut milk and the chicken breast, if using. You might need to add another cup ot two of water, if the soup seems a little thick. Simmer the soup uncovered for 15 minutes.
Stir in the cilantro, season with salt and pepper and serve with a wedge of lemon. |