Project Comunidad

Lentil soup recipe:

1 onion
1 large or 2 medium carrots
1 potato
1 Serrano (substitute 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper or 2 teaspoons of cayenne)
1 cup of dried lentils
2 tablespoon of cooking oil
1 can of tomato sauce
3 cans of water
1 tablespoon of bouillon or sabor de pollo
1 bay leaf

Dice the onion, carrot, potatoes, and chile into similar small pieces and place in separate bowls.

Next, sort through 1 cup of dried lentils to pick out any foreign objects or bad pieces of lentil. Rinse under cold water and set aside.

Open the can of tomato sauce and set aside.

Place a large pot on the stove at medium high heat and add cooking oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Add onions once the oil is hot and sauté for 2 minutes. Then add the carrots and two pinches of salt. Stir for two minutes. Add the serrano (or other paper substitute) and cook for another minute.

Add the tomato sauce to the pot and stir, cooking for 1 minute. Using the tomato sauce can, add three cans of warm water to the pot. Add 1 tablespoon of bouillon, or sabor de pollo and stir until completely dissolved.

Gently add the diced potatoes, sorted/washed lentils, and bay leaf. Turn heat up to high to bring the soup to a gentle boil. Then lower heat to low to maintain a simmer for 35-40 minutes. Potatoes and lentils will be tender when the soup is done. Keep an eye on the soup to make sure it doesn’t boil over or evaporate. Adjust the heat and cover as needed.