Butternut Squash Lentil Soup with Spiced Rice

For those who are hungry right now and need a meal 10 minutes ago, this one is quick. Make a warm cup of tea to quell that hunger, and get to work on this one. Combine the ingredients in a pot and set to cooking in a pressure cooker or on the stove. Blend the final product for a creamy soup. This recipe serves two.

Ingredients

Soup

• 1 Tbsp. ghee or olive oil
• 1 pinch cumin seeds
• 1 pinch coriander seeds
• 1 thumb ginger, minced
• ½ tsp. garam masala powder
• ¼ tsp. coriander powder
• ¼ tsp. cumin powder
• ¼ tsp. cinnamon
• ¼ tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 pinch salt (to taste)
• 1 pinch pepper
• 1 cup turnip or other non-starchy root vegetable, cubed
• 2 heaping cups butternut squash, cubed
• ¼ cup red lentils, rinsed
• Cilantro or parsley, chopped (garnish)
• Nigella seeds (garnish)
• Lime wedge (garnish)

Rice

• 1 Tbsp. ghee or sesame oil
• 1 pinch fennel seeds
• 1 pinch salt
• ½ cup white basmati rice, rinsed
• 1-1½ cup water

Method

For the soup

1. In a pressure cooker, add the oil, spices, ginger, turnip, squash, and lentils
2. Add enough water to just cover the ingredients and stir to combine
3. Set pressure cooker to cook for 5-10 minutes
4. Let the pressure naturally release (about 20 minutes)
5. Use an immersion blender to create a smooth soup

For the rice

1. Heat the oil in a pot on the stove at medium heat
2. Add the fennel seeds to temper until aromatic (about 10-20 seconds)
3. Add salt and rinsed rice (be careful of oil splattering here, so gently add rice with heat turned down)
4. Add water to cover rice and stir to combine ingredients
5. Let rice come to a boil, then turn the temperature down to a simmer
6. After simmering for 10-15 minutes or when most water is gone, add more water and turn off the heat to let rice absorb the moisture
7. Let rice cool with lid askew for 5-10 minutes
8. Serve with blended soup
9. Garnish with greens, lime, and nigella seeds
10. Enjoy