Spicy Sesame Carrot Soup with Red Lentils
This spicy sesame carrot soup is hearty with lentils and tahini, and flavourful with chilies, whole spices, toasted sesame oil, and slowly cooked onions. Simple ingredients and easy to make!
serving 6
Ingredients
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 teaspoon ground chillies or chili flakes (I used Diaspora Co.’s ground Kashmiri chillies)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2- inch piece of ginger, peeled and minced
1 ½ lbs carrots, scrubbed and chopped
sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste
½ cup split red lentils, rinsed
5 cups vegetable stock
¼ cup tahini
1½ teaspoons toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon Tamari soy sauce
2 teaspoons lemon or lime juice
INSTRUCTIONS
Set a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the cumin and coriander seeds to the pot and toast, stirring them up often. Toast the spices until very fragrant, about 45 seconds to a full minute. Dump the seeds out onto a small plate and allow them to cool completely before grinding up to a powder in a spice grinder. Set the ground spices aside.
Return the large soup pot to the stove over medium heat and pour in the olive oil. Swirl the oil around a bit and then add the onions to the pot and stir. The onions should be sizzling, but on the quieter end of sizzling. Lower the heat if necessary. Keep cooking the onions, stirring occasionally, until very soft and translucent (but not browning), about 7-8 minutes.
Add the ground cumin and coriander to the pot, along with the ground chillies as well. Stir and cook along with the onions for one full minute. Then, add the minced garlic and ginger to the pot and stir. Keep cooking until the garlic is very fragrant, about 1 minute.
Add the carrots to the pot along with big pinches of salt and pepper. Stir the carrots to coat them in the spices and sautéed onions. Then, add the red lentils to the pot and stir once more. Finally, pour in the vegetable stock and give it a final stir.
Bring this broth-y carrot, lentil, and spice mixture to a boil and then lower your heat to a simmer. Simmer this mixture uncovered, stirring here and there, until the carrots are quite soft, about 30 minutes.
Carefully ladle the broth-y carrot, lentil, and spice mixture into the pitcher of an upright, vented blender. To this mixture, add the tahini, sesame oil, and Tamari. Close the lid on the pitcher and slowly bring the speed of the blender up to high. You may have to add a few splashes of water to get things moving. Blend until you have a completely smooth puree.
Pour the spicy sesame carrot soup back into the pot. At this point, you can leave it as-is or add some water to make the texture a bit more fluid. I personally like a bit of fluidity in pureed soups, so I added 2 cups of water at this point. Bring the soup up to a boil, stirring often. Stir in the lemon or lime juice.
Give the soup a taste at this point to see if you need to adjust some of the seasoning. Maybe it needs even more lemon/lime for your taste, some extra pepper etc. Adjust the seasoning to your liking and then serve! I topped mine with chopped cilantro, drizzles of tahini and chili oil, and sesame seeds.
Spicy Sesame Carrot Soup with Lentils and Tahini
Indulge in a heartwarming culinary journey with our Spicy Sesame Carrot Soup, enriched with lentils and tahini, and ignited with the robust flavors of chilies, whole spices, and toasted sesame oil. Crafted with simplicity and ease, this recipe is a delightful fusion of wholesome ingredients, perfect for any occasion.
Ingredients: 1 teaspoon cumin seeds 1 teaspoon coriander seeds 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped 1 teaspoon ground chillies or chili flakes (such as Diaspora Co.’s ground Kashmiri chillies) 2 cloves garlic, minced 2-inch piece of ginger, peeled and minced 1 ½ lbs carrots, scrubbed and roughly chopped Sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste ½ cup split red lentils, rinsed 5 cups vegetable stock ¼ cup tahini 1½ teaspoons toasted sesame oil 1 teaspoon Tamari soy sauce 2 teaspoons lemon or lime juice
Instructions:
- Begin by toasting cumin and coriander seeds in a large soup pot over medium heat until fragrant, about 45 seconds to 1 minute. Allow the seeds to cool before grinding into a fine powder using a spice grinder.
- In the same pot, heat olive oil and sauté finely chopped onions until soft and translucent, approximately 7-8 minutes. Add ground cumin, coriander, and chili flakes, followed by minced garlic and ginger. Cook until aromatic, about 1 minute.
- Stir in chopped carrots and rinsed red lentils, seasoning generously with salt and pepper. Pour in vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered until carrots are tender, approximately 30 minutes.
- Carefully transfer the cooked mixture to a blender, adding tahini, toasted sesame oil, and Tamari soy sauce. Blend until smooth, adjusting consistency with water if necessary.
- Return the blended mixture to the pot, bringing it to a boil. Stir in lemon or lime juice, and adjust seasoning to taste.
- Serve hot, garnished with chopped cilantro, drizzles of tahini, chili oil, and sesame seeds for added flavor and texture.
Additional Tips:
- For a creamier texture, substitute part of the vegetable stock with coconut milk.
- Experiment with different varieties of chili flakes to adjust the level of heat according to your preference.
- To enhance the soup’s nutritional profile, consider adding leafy greens such as spinach or kale during the cooking process.
- This soup can be prepared in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or frozen for longer-term storage.
- Pair this soup with crusty bread or a side salad for a complete and satisfying meal.
Elevate your dining experience with our Spicy Sesame Carrot Soup, a harmonious blend of wholesome ingredients and bold flavors that will tantalize your taste buds and warm your soul.