Thai Purple Lentil Soup

This Thai purple curry flavoured Purple Lentil soup is unbelievably scrumptious!! Fast, cheap, and cosy, I’m fairly positive it’s probably the most thrilling lentil recipe you’ll make this 12 months. 🙂

Value estimate based mostly on present costs at Woolworths (Australia) – $2.05 per serving.

Sometimes, I’ll get somebody on my crew to check out a recipe earlier than I determine whether or not it’s “blog-worthy” (technical time period round these elements!). Particularly when it’s one thing I’ve dreamed up on the fly on a Tuesday evening, and actually particularly when it’s not remotely genuine. No, there isn’t a such factor as lentil soup or curry in Thailand. However purple curry paste is a flavour powerhouse, lentils are sensible flavour sponges, and collectively they make a creamy, comforting soup that makes lentils a complete lot extra thrilling!

So I put it to the true check by asking Stephen – our head chef at RecipeTin Meals – to attempt it out. As a result of if you will get a dedicated meat-loving-burly-Englishman enthusiastic about lentil soup, I reckon you’re onto one thing. And properly, properly, properly what are you aware! He liked it!!!

PS I recognize the blended messaging of a photograph that includes a whole lot of kilos of beef mince in a vegetarian soup put up. However that is what I bought this morning after I requested for a photograph of Stephen and I just like the irony an excessive amount of to not use it. 😂 He tells me we’re making Chilli Con Carne with it immediately. Simply 600 servings!

What you want for Thai Purple Lentil Soup

Right here’s what it’s worthwhile to make this. Butternut pumpkin is a beautiful addition which provides sweetness and physique to the soup (to be sincere, it’s solely in it as a result of I occurred to have it the primary time I made this). However it’s completely price making with out. As a result of some days the considered peeling and chopping a pumpkin is simply an excessive amount of.😅

For the soup

Break up purple lentils – These cook dinner the quickest out of dried lentil varieties (15 to twenty minutes) and break down right into a creamy soup with out the necessity to blitz. Use leftovers to make Melting Afghan Chickpea Lentil Curry!

Different lentil varieties – Break up yellow lentils can be utilized, they’re comparable however take about 5 minutes longer. Entire inexperienced, brown or purple lentils take 30 to 40 minutes and maintain their form extra, so that you’ll must partially mix to realize the identical texture pictured, and also you received’t have the ability to use the pumpkin (else they may get blitzed up too!). Additionally, the soup shall be a bit extra brown than the stunning cheerful purple color you see!

Don’t use puy lentils (French lentils) as these keep agency when cooked, or canned lentils (recipe not designed for it).
Thai purple curry paste – Maesri is my go-to model that is available in small 114 gram, 1/2 cup cans, so this recipe conveniently makes use of one complete can. It’s probably the most authentic-tasting grocery store curry paste by a protracted shot and fortunately, it’s additionally one of many least costly. It’s additionally stocked in Asian grocery shops – at all times a great signal it’s the true deal. 🙂

In excellent news although, Stephen additionally made this with a extra mainstream Western model in addition to Maesri, and stated it was nonetheless actually nice! So don’t stress should you can’t get your palms on Maesri.

Garlic and ginger – This recipe requires 1 tablespoon of every, finely grated. Utilizing a great quantity of recent garlic and ginger goes a protracted approach to clean up retailer purchased curry paste to convey it nearer to the freshness of selfmade. (Observe: this recipe can completely be made with selfmade Thai purple curry paste, and please invite me over once you do!).
Butternut pumpkin (squash) – This provides sweetness and a bit physique to the soup, and softens sufficient to meld properly into the creamy soup. Any pumpkin sort can be utilized right here. Candy potato additionally makes a great substitute, although it doesn’t go as smooth as pumpkin.
Coconut cream – Offers the soup its wealthy, creamy texture and a stronger coconut flavour than utilizing the identical quantity of coconut milk. It’s about the identical worth as coconut milk and surprisingly has comparable energy, so that you get good bang to your buck (each price and energy!).
Vegetable inventory and water – I exploit a mix of each as a result of utilizing simply water lacked a little bit of physique, however utilizing an excessive amount of vegetable inventory made it extra vegetable-y than I favored and I couldn’t style the purple curry flavour as a lot. So I landed on utilizing each. I exploit low-sodium vegetable inventory so I can management the salt degree. If you happen to’ve solely bought full salt, simply scale back the fish sauce by 1/2 teaspoon.
Fish sauce or soy sauce – This provides a little bit of salt into the soup. Fish sauce will give it extra depth of flavour (and can be the genuine Thai alternative!) however soy sauce works simply as properly for a vegetarian various (or tamari, for gluten-free).
Child spinach or different leafy greens – Stirred in proper on the finish for a pop of color and a lift of greens. Kale, silverbeet (Swiss chard), leafy Asian greens or a little bit of frozen spinach would work properly too.

toppings

Like most soups, this one loves just a few toppings. However in contrast to some, it doesn’t want them – the one important is lime. A very good squeeze brightens and balances the wealthy flavours. If you happen to don’t have lime (or it’s unreasonably costly in the intervening time) simply stir a bit rice vinegar or white vinegar into the soup as a substitute.

Lime wedges (important!) – A very good squeeze of lime provides a lot welcome freshness into the soup, identical to it does with Thai Purple Curry. As famous above, should you don’t have lime, simply add vinegar into the soup as a substitute – I’ve popped the quantity and instructions into the recipe card.
Coconut drizzle – I put aside a tablespoon of the coconut cream earlier than tipping the remaining into the soup. Loosen it up with milk to make use of for drizzling onto the soup.
Coriander / cilantro – That is extremely really useful, additionally for a bit hit of freshness. Substitute – finely sliced inexperienced onion.
Finely sliced purple chilli – For successful of spice, for many who wish to flip up the warmth! 100% elective.
Crispy fried shallots – For salty little crispy crunch. I exploit these on Thai curries on a regular basis, and so they’re simply nearly as good scattered over this soup.

How one can make Thai Purple Lentil Soup

You may be stunned how low effort that is to make (as soon as the pumpkin is minimize – however notice my remark above about leaving it out!).

Sauté curry paste (key!) – Soften the coconut oil in a big pot over medium warmth (not too sizzling, the paste will spit and splutter). Add the curry paste, garlic and ginger then cook dinner, stirring just about always (albeit leisurely) for 3 to 4 minutes till the curry paste darkens in color (proper picture above).

This step makes all of the distinction when utilizing retailer purchased curry paste! The garlic and ginger goes a protracted approach to freshen it up, and cooking the curry paste deepens the flavour. It’s a very “makes all of the distinction” step with the extra Western manufacturers that lack the identical flavour punch of genuine Thai manufacturers like Maesri.

Soup – Add the dried lentils, coconut cream, inventory, water and fish sauce.
Simmer 20 minutes – Simmer for five minutes, then add the butternut pumpkin and simmer for an extra quarter-hour or till the lentils have softened and partially damaged all the way down to kind a creamy soup. (The pumpkin is added 5 minutes into the simmer time else it softens a bit an excessive amount of, I discover. I need smooth however not mushy.)

Thick creamy soup – The soup ought to be thick and creamy, due to the cut up lentils partially breaking down. Not fully {smooth}, it’s nonetheless a bit lumpy however the lentils are very smooth.
Toppings – Ladle into bowls, prime with a drizzle of the reserved coconut, sprinkle with coriander and chilli if utilizing. You should definitely serve with lime wedges so everybody can squeeze it in themselves – a recent hit simply earlier than digging in actually is one of the best ways!

Roti for dunking!

Along with toppings, most of my soup recipes include a plea for heat crusty bread for dunking (and typically tacky bread 😊). For this Thai-flavoured soup, although, I’m firmly within the roti camp – you already know, that flaky flatbread? It’s a superb mop for thick soups! Frozen packs are bought at common grocery shops, and so they cook dinner straight from frozen in a pan in just some minutes. Paratha is comparable (additionally flaky), and should you can’t discover both, plain bread shall be simply tremendous.

Although in all honesty, it is a soup that’s hearty and full flavoured sufficient to be loved even with out bread. A uncommon admission from me! 😅 – Nagi x

Thai Purple Lentil Soup – RecipeTin Eats