Mexican Red Lentil Stew with Lime and Cilantro

Ingredients

• 1 cup dry red lentils
• 2 cups water
• 1 T olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 cup finely chopped celery
• 1 T minced garlic
• 1/4 tsp. ground turmeric
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 tsp. chile powder
• 1 can roasted tomatoes
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 tsp. green Tabasco sauce 
• salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup fresh squeezed lime juice
• 1/2 – 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• Optional: cut limes and sour cream or vegan sour cream substitute for serving the soup

Directions

Put red lentils in a small pot, rinse and drain if needed, then add 2 cups water. Bring to a boil, turn off heat and cover. Let lentils sit in the hot water 30 minutes.While lentils are cooking in the water, finely chop onions and celery and mince garlic (or you can use minced garlic from a jar like I did.)Heat olive oil in heavy soup pot, add onion and celery and saute for 3-4 minutes, just long enough that vegetables are starting to soften.Add garlic and cook a few minutes more.Add ground turmeric, ground cumin, and chile powder, stir, and cook 1-2 minutes more.Add diced roasted tomatoes, vegetable broth, and hot sauce (I used green Tabasco sauce for this recipe).Add lentils after they have soaked for 30 minutes, then let soup simmer for 15-30 minutes (or until lentils are as soft as you’d like them. I simmered it about 25 minutes.)While soup cooks, wash, dry and finely chop 1/2 – 1 cup fresh cilantro and squeeze limes to get 1/4 cup fresh lime juice.When the lentils are softened as much as you’d like, stir in chopped cilantro and lime juice and cook 5 minutes more.Serve hot, with additional cut limes to squeeze into the soup.Can top with sour cream or vegan substitute if desired.