Kala Jeera Scented Tomato and Red Lentil Soup with Veggie Stuffed Rotis
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Author Notes: Call this a feast. And an inclusive one at that, as it's vegan, though omnivores love it, too. Or call it dinner at my house several times a week. Not necessarily this meal, exactly, but a simple, vegetable-rich, spiced, soupy dal, paired with a veggie + rice / grain pilaf or roti wrap. This soup features my latest spice love interest, kala jeera, which is a black cumin with a faintly smoky flavor. I cannot get enough of it. The filling for the rotis is inspired by a brown rice and cashew pilaf in Julie Sahni’s “Classic Indian Vegetarian and Grain Cooking”. I use her combination of cinnamon + cumin + bay leaves + cashews + broccoli, but substitute nutty, chewy farro and fragrant, deep purple Black Japonica rice. And I use shallots instead of onions, add some cauliflower, and then brighten it all up with cilantro, lime and pear chutney. If you prefer a jammy chutney from a jar, feel free! When pears aren't available, I use Cara Cara orange and pomelo suprêmes in this chutney, instead. It may seem that there a lot of steps here, but the soup practically makes itself, making it quite easy to prepare the spice and cashew scented veggies at the same time. Enjoy!! ;o) - AntoniaJames
Serves 6
- 2 medium limes
- 1 ½ cup cooked farro, at room temperature (or, use barley, or sprouted brown rice)
- 1 cup cooked black Japonica rice (or, use Red Bhutan or any other colorful rice)
- Heaping ¾ cup red lentils, well rinsed
- 1 medium cauliflower, broken into small florets, stems trimmed and cut into small chunks (4 cups of florets)
- 4 cups small broccoli florets and small chunks of peeled stem
- 1 medium onion, peeled and sliced north pole to south pole
- 6 cloves of garlic, chopped
- 6 tablespoons (1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons) grapeseed oil (recommended for its higher smoking point, but you can use olive oil or ghee, if you prefer)
- Tiny pinch of ground cloves
- 1 28-ounce can or box of best quality tomatoes (I prefer Pomi diced tomatoes, for their bright, true flavor.)
- ¾ cup loosely packed cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped
- Pinches of sugar
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- 3/4 cup of coarsely chopped raw cashews
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 3 medium shallot lobes, peeled and sliced lengthwise
- 2 tablespoons organic cider vinegar
- 2 medium pears
- 12 phulka rotis or other thin flatbreads (Whole wheat tortillas are an okay substitute, but rotis are better. Or get or make one medium naan per person.)
- 1 cup almond milk (preferably homemade)
- 1 tablespoon kala jeera
- 1 ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- Total cost of all ingredients (except the spices + bay leaf) was ~ $3.50/person. All ingredients were organic from WFM (except the rotis and the Black Japonica); I used Pomi diced at $4/box and made my own almond milk.
- Using a sharp vegetable peeler, cut off long strips of zest from the limes, avoiding the bitter white pith beneath. Put the zest in large pitchers of filtered still or sparkling water to serve with dinner. Squeeze the juice from the limes into a small bowl.
- If using your oven to heat or cook your flatbreads, turn the heat on now. See note below for useful information about uncooked rotis.
- START THE SOUP: Put the red lentils in a medium saucepan with 3 cups of filtered water; cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the water starts vigorously to boil. Turn the heat down, stir the lentils and partially cover. Let them simmer while you do the next steps, but keep an eye on them, stirring occasionally and adding more water if they seem to be drying out.
- Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a heavy soup pot. When the oil is good and hot, but not smoking, add the onions, a tiny pinch of cloves, and a small pinch of salt. Turn the heat down to medium and cook until the onions are soft, stirring frequently. Add about 2/3 of the chopped garlic. (Just eyeball it; there’s no need to measure.) and cook for another 30 seconds or so. Turn the heat up a bit and immediately add the tomatoes and another pinch of salt, plus a good pinch of sugar, stirring to combine with the aromatics. Let it come to a brisk boil, then turn it down to a bubbling simmer and partially cover the pot. Keep an eye on it as you do the next steps, stirring occasionally.
- BROWN THE NUTS: In a small skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium heat for about 30 seconds, then add the cashew pieces. Brown them, stirring frequently, paying close attention and removing them as soon as a few of them start to turn a medium brown . The hot pan will continue to cook all of the nuts, very quickly, so remove them immediately from the pan into a small dish. Don’t wash out the skillet. You’ll need it shortly.
- MAKE THE CHUTNEY: Take a few slices of shallot, dice them finely and put them into the bowl in which you plan to serve the pear chutney. Very finely chop five or six cilantro stems and add them to bowl, along with half of the lime juice, the cider vinegar, a three-finger pinch of sugar, and a pinch of salt. Quarter, core and cut into ¾” chunks. (Peel after coring if the skin is tough or unattractive. I only pare Boscs, as a rule.) Gently toss the pears with the dressing, sprinkle on about 1/3 of the chopped cilantro leaves, and set aside.
- NOW, BACK TO THE SOUP: Add the lentils their cooking liquid to the soup pot with the tomatoes. Add a good pinch of salt, stir well and allow the soup to simmer while you continue with the vegetables. Give the pot a good stir every few minutes.
- START THE VEGGIES: In a large skillet, warm 2 tablespoons of oil with the bay leaves, cinnamon stick and cumin seeds. Stir to coat the spices, and turn the heat way down. You’re infusing the oil now for a few minutes, while you do the next step.
- MAKE THE SPICED OIL GARNISH FOR THE SOUP: In the small skillet that you used for the cashews, add the remaining oil (2 tablespoons) and let it get fairly hot. Add the cumin and a tiny pinch of salt. Let the cumin sizzle for a few seconds over medium heat, stirring constantly, and then immediately remove the skillet from the stove, stir in the kala jeera right away, and stir briskly for another ten seconds.
- COOK THE VEGGIES: Add the remaining shallot slices to the large skillet with the spices and bay leaf, and stir well. Turn up the heat up to medium and cook until the onions are soft. Add the remaining chopped garlic and cook for about fifteen seconds. Stir the cauliflower into the aromatics and spices, turning the florets over to coat them with the fragrant oil.
- Add about ½ cup of water and cover the skillet. Let the cauliflower steam for about five minutes over medium heat.
- MAKE OR WARM YOUR FLATBREADS: Make or warm your rotis or flatbread. Keep them warm in the oven in a covered container with a damp cloth on top. You don't want them to become crispy, if you plan to use them taco-style. Although phulka rotis are generally cooked in a skillet on the top of the stove, I recently discovered that if you put a pizza stone in your cold oven and then heat to about 425 Fahrenheit, you can cook 6 or 8 at a time on the stone in the oven! It takes about 4 minutes, but watch carefully, checking after 3 minutes and turning if necessary to prevent burning.
- FINISH THE VEGGIES: After the cauliflower has steamed for about five minutes, add the broccoli, giving it a good stir into the cauliflower. Add a splash or two of water (2-3 tablespoons) if none is visible in the skillet and then cover the skillet again. After about three minutes, remove the lid and add the rice and farro, and another few tablespoons of water, if the pan seems dry. Give it all a gentle stir, turn the heat down to medium-low, and cover the skillet immediately. Put the timer on for 3 minutes. If the broccoli is not tender after 3 minutes, put the lid back on and cook for another minute, and then another, if necessary.
- When the broccoli is bright green and just tender, remove the bay leaf and cinnamon stick, and check for salt and correct.
- Gently stir the cilantro, some freshly ground black pepper, and the browned cashews into the contents of the skillet. Don’t put the lid back on (unless the broccoli is still firm). The only mistake you can make in this dish is to overcook the broccoli.
- FINISH MAKING THE SOUP: Use an immersion blender to blend the soup until smooth. Add the almond milk, stir well, turn up the heat and cook for about two minutes. Check for salt and correct. Turn the heat down to very low, to keep the soup warm until you serve.
- To serve the soup, ladle into small bowls and drop about a teaspoon of the fragrant oil and spices into the middle of each bowl.
- Sprinkle the remaining lime juice over the veggies, farro and rice, and fill the roti or other flatbread with them and the chutney, taco style.
- Enjoy!! ;o)
- Tips on making ahead: The soup can be made ahead, up to the point of adding the almond milk. Don’t make the spice and oil mixture until immediately before serving. The broccoli and cauliflower can be cut into florets, but really should not be cooked until right before serving. A few hours before cooking, you can start the scented oil and aromatics for the veggies, and toast the cashew pieces in the oil.
- This recipe was entered in the contest for Your Best Cheap Feast
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16 days ago susan g
Lovely soup! Even before adding the spiced oil it was delicious, and the oil nails it. I didn't blend it, going for the rustic... I don't know if I'll ever make this entire feast, but piecemeal -- I'm looking forward to the other parts.
3 months ago susan g
Your ordering of the preparation sequence is just beautiful -- so helpful to make a complex process go smoothly! My as yet unused kala jeera will thank you, as will the 5 K bag of red lentils that I constantly need to work on...
3 months ago loubaby
Thanks for the tip on Rotis in the oven....I love those breads...
3 months ago AntoniaJames
AntoniaJames is a trusted source on Bread/Baking.
You're welcome! The engineer here (me) working under a deadline (to get the entire meal on the table in an hour, not including pre-cooking the grains), decided there must be a better way than cooking the rotis one by one in the skillet. (You could delegate the task, of course, but I can't always count on that.) Remembering that any thinly rolled dough bubbles up quickly on a screaming hot baking stone, I figured there'd be no harm in trying. And it worked. Hallelujah!! ;o) P.S. Once they're cooked, it's very important that the rotis be placed in a covered container immediately, with a damp cloth. Otherwise they become crispy, which doesn't work well for wrapping.
3 months ago TheWimpyVegetarian
This looks truly amazing, AJ. I would love to make this. Instead of the cashews (allergies), can I sub pine nuts without losing too much?
3 months ago AntoniaJames
AntoniaJames is a trusted source on Bread/Baking.
Thanks so much, Susan. Yes, of course, substitute pine nuts or perhaps, even better, toasted pepitas? I was just thinking this morning about making this soup with pepita "milk" instead of almond milk (soaking, grinding, straining as if making almond milk). I tested a recipe shortly after we started doing editors' picks in 2010 for smoked turkey thigh in a ground pepita sauce (which also included a few tomatoes). The flavor is magical -- savory and a bit rich, but not overpowering. I've been thinking lately how that would be such a terrific substitute for nuts in a variety of dishes. There are so many ways to go with this. In fact, I'm thinking I might like the pepitas in the roti wraps even more! ;o)
3 months ago gingerroot
This is fabulous, AJ! I'd be very happy eating this multiple times a week.
3 months ago AntoniaJames
AntoniaJames is a trusted source on Bread/Baking.
Thanks! We switch the veggies in the soup vs. veggies with the grains back and forth. E.g., I'll use cauliflower in the soup when I make pauljoseph's (truly outstanding) Tamatar Rice. And of course, I'll use different veggies for both depending on what's in season. I make this year-round, given how chilly it is here in the evenings in the spring and summer (and fall and winter). In the summer, the rice/grain pilaf becomes more of a hearty salad, full of summer veggies (and different spice / fresh herb combos, of course). Also, the tomato soup holds really well for a few days, getting better, as soups do. So I usually make a double batch, freeze some, and eat the rest over the next few days. ;o)
3 months ago TheWimpyVegetarian
That a fantastic idea. I love pepitas. I think I would like that even better than the pine nuts. Thanks!!
3 months ago fiveandspice
Emily is a trusted source on Scandinavian Cuisine.
Wow. This is absolutely fantastic!
3 months ago AntoniaJames
AntoniaJames is a trusted source on Bread/Baking.
Thanks so much, fiveandspice. Glad you think so! ;o)
3 months ago sdebrango
Suzanne is a trusted source on General Cooking.
This is gorgeous AJ, I love the spice blend. This is truly a feast of flavors and textures. Beautifully done!
3 months ago AntoniaJames
AntoniaJames is a trusted source on Bread/Baking.
Thank you, sdebrango. You are always so kind. And yes, the spices totally make this meal what it is. (Have you tried kala jeera yet? You can get it from Penzeys, if your other local spice merchants don't have it. You'll love it!) ;o)
3 months ago sdebrango
Suzanne is a trusted source on General Cooking.
I don't think I have ever tasted kala jeera, it sounds wonderful and it's about time I tasted it. I will see if Sahadi's has it, they have a wonderful array of spices.