Green Lentil Soup with Curried Brown Butter

Ingredients

Contains: milk (auto-detected from the ingredients and method; we can miss things, so check labels)

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, ghee, or extra-virgin coconut oil
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 5 1/2 cups / 1.3 liters good-tasting vegetable broth or water
• 1 1/2 cups / 10.5 oz / 300 g green lentils or green split peas, picked over and rinsed
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon Indian curry powder
• 1/2 cup / 125 ml coconut milk
• Fine-grain sea salt
• 1 bunch fresh chives, minced
• small cubes of pan-fried paneer (optional)

Directions

Method written by CompKitchen from the ingredient list. Not the original author's method, not kitchen-tested.

1. Melt the 2 tablespoons butter, ghee, or coconut oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook about 8 minutes, stirring, until soft and golden at the edges.

2. Stir in the chopped garlic and red pepper flakes and cook 1 minute. Add the broth or water and the rinsed lentils, then bring to a boil.

3. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer, partly cover, and cook 25 to 30 minutes until the lentils are tender, skimming any foam from the surface.

4. While the soup simmers, melt the 3 tablespoons butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Cook 3 to 4 minutes until it foams, turns golden brown, and smells nutty.

5. Stir the curry powder into the brown butter for 30 seconds, then remove the skillet from the heat.

6. If using paneer, pan-fry the cubes in a dry nonstick skillet over medium heat, turning them, about 5 minutes until golden on all sides. Set aside.

7. Stir the coconut milk into the soup and simmer 2 minutes. Season with fine-grain sea salt to taste.

8. Ladle the soup into bowls, drizzle with the curried brown butter, and top with the minced chives and paneer if using.