Butternut Squash and Lentil Soup

The Indian spices in the soup really make it. I saw the recipe on NYTimes.com and thought it looked great. I tweaked it slightly, but it's a really nice, flavorful soup. Stirring in the buttery toasted mustard and cumin seeds at the end gives it a great bit of textured crunch. Next time, I might add some shallots and another chile, but it's still great as is. Feel free to use chicken broth instead of water if you prefer. 

Serves 4 (probably more)

Ingredients:

2 tbsp canola oil

1 medium onion, peeled and minced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 heaping tablespoon fresh peeled and minced ginger

1-2 serrano or thai chiles, minced

3 tsp yellow mustard seeds

2 tsp cumin seeds

1/2 tsp turmeric

1.5 lb butternut squash, peeled and cut into a small dice

1 cup red lentils

salt and pepper

cayenne pepper

1 tsp cider vinegar

Greek yogurt

Directions:

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium. Add the onions and saute until soft (about 5 minutes). 

Add the garlic, ginger, chiles, 1 tsp mustard seeds, and 1 tsp cumin seeds. Stir until fragrant (about 30 seconds).  

Add the squash and lentils and stir. Then add 6 cups water. 

Bring to a boil.

Skim the foam off the top and reduce to a low simmer. Season to taste with salt. Cover and cook for 30-45 minutes until everything is very tender.

Puree with an immersion blender. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper. Add cider vinegar. 

In a small skillet, melt the butter over medium and add the remaining mustard and cumin seeds. Stir until fragrant and starting to pop. Stir into the soup. 

Serve with a dollop of Greek yogurt, and if you want, a sprinkle of Maldon salt and dusting of fresh pepper.