Spicy Red Lentil Stew with Coconut Milk and Spinach
“One of the best lentil soup recipes I’ve ever tried,” a reader writes about this lentil soup that mixes soothing coconut milk, woken up with spices, heat, and cut with lime.
- Makes4 to 6 servings
- Cook Time1 hour
- Active time plus cooling10 minutes active
- 15
Located on the southwestern coast of India, Goa is known for its use of chilies, spices, coconut and bright acid (an influence from Portuguese colonization). Split red lentils cook in minutes, making this a quick weeknight meal. Coriander, fennel and turmeric captured contribute complex spicing without requiring half the spice cabinet. Chili spice is tempered by coconut milk, and a shot of lime juice cut through the legume’s starch. Early and late additions of fresh ginger added welcome brightness and kept flavors vibrant; a wand-style grater was best for grating. If you can’t find ground fennel, grind fennel seeds in a mortar and pestle or a clean spice grinder. Both virgin and refined coconut oil worked, as did yellow and brown mustard seeds.
Don’t substitute brown or green lentils for the split red lentils in this dish. Red lentils break down as they cook, thickening the cooking liquid and providing the ideal texture for this hearty soup. Other lentil varieties remain intact even when fully cooked.
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