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Spicy Ethiopian Red Lentil Soup
PAIR WITH
Savory Teff Pancakes
(PAGE 145)
This spicy, thick lentil soup acquires its complex flavor from
berbere,
an East African spice blend that includes coriander, fenugreek, dried chiles, and fried shallots. You can find packaged
berbere
spice at international markets and online, but it’s fun and easy to make it yourself, so I’ve included directions for making it here. You will have enough for two batches of soup. Or try the leftover mixture on popcorn, fried eggs, or as a rub for grilled meats!
Serve the soup with the teff pancakes on
page 145
, tearing off pieces of the spongy, crêpe-like breads with your hands and using them to scoop up the thick soup
.
SERVES
4 TO 6
ACTIVE TIME
20
MINUTES
TOTAL TIME
50
MINUTES
BERBERE SPICE BLEND
2 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp fenugreek seeds
1
/
2
tsp black peppercorns
2 green cardamom pods
3 whole cloves
1
/
2
cup [30 g] dried fried shallots
(see Flavor Toolbox, page 14)
3 to 6 dried red chiles de árbol, stemmed, seeded, and broken up
3 Tbsp sweet paprika
1
1
/
2
tsp sea salt
1
/
2
tsp ground allspice
1
/
2
tsp ground ci
1
/
2
tsp ground ginger
1
/
2
tsp ground nutmeg
RED LENTIL SOUP
2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
3 medium Anaheim chiles, seeded and chopped
2 Tbsp minced fresh ginger
3 medium garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbsp tomato paste
3 cups [630 g] red lentils, picked over and rinsed
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
3 Tbsp unsalted butter or coconut oil
1.
TO MAKE THE SPICE BLEND:
Toast the coriander seeds, fenugreek seeds, peppercorns, cardamom pods, and cloves in a small, dry saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly until fragrant, about 3 minutes.
Let the toasted spices cool slightly and transfer them to a spice grinder along with the fried shallots and dried chiles.
Grind the spices until the mixture is finely ground, about 1 minute.
(Alternatively, grind the spices with a mortar and pestle.) Transfer the mixture to a small bowl and add the paprika, salt, allspice, ci
2.
TO MAKE THE SOUP:
Heat the oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
Add the onion and Anaheim chiles and sauté, stirring frequently, until the onion is golden brown, about 8 minutes.
Add the ginger and garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Add 3
1
/
2
Tbsp of the
berbere
and the tomato paste and stir to combine.
3.
Add the lentils, 8 cups [2 L] cold water, and 1 tsp salt.
Cover and bring to a simmer.
Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring frequently to make sure the lentils don’t stick to the bottom of the pot, until the lentils are fall-apart tender, 30 minutes.
Season with salt and pepper.
4.
Ladle the soup into bowls, top each with a dab of butter, and sprinkle with a generous pinch of
berbere
.
Serve immediately.
GET AHEAD:
Store the cooled soup in airtight containers or zip-top plastic freezer bags in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Reheat gently over low heat, adding a bit of water if needed to adjust the consistency. Add a squeeze of lemon juice and additional
berbere
, if necessary, to wake up the flavors.
Store the spice blend in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 6 months.