Ingredients and method to make Butternut squash with lentil soup.
1 large leek (yielded about 2 1/2 cups of cut leek)
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp minced garlic
3 1/2 cups of butternut squash (peeled ,seeded and cut into one inch pieces)
1/2 cup whole red lentils (Masoor dhal )
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp coriander powder
3/4 tsp rasam powder ( or 1/2 tsp garam masala or any other curry powder)
salt to taste
4 cups water ( or as required to achieve consistency of choice)
Wash and drain whole lentils and keep aside
Heat a large heavy bottomed pan and add olive oil to it.
Add cut leek and saute until the leek is transparent.
Add the cut pieces of butternut squash and lentils,all the spices and water and let it simmer until the lentils and butternut pieces are cooked.
Serve hot with crushed pepper on top if you like and have it with bread or cornbread
Serves about 4
Notes:
This soup can be pureed after the squash is cooked and served that way too. The only reason I did not do that was because I wanted to have a chunky type soup this time.
For a variation in taste you could add ground ginger according to taste to this along with the minced garlic too.
Instead of butternut squash you could use pumpkin in this soup.
