Thank you for such an overwhelming response to my last post. You really know how to make a girl feel special, really. Please have no fear that this site will disappear because it won’t. Most likely new posts will continue at their lackadaisical pace and I feel good about that. I should be making you a cake, but this soup will have to do.
This humble soup is a bit of a mish mash of everything. A little while ago, I made a vegetarian chowder and my soup-hating husband loved it so I wondered if using a couple of potatoes and some frozen corn, I could turn a lentil soup into something akin to chowder. The answer to this, of course, is yes. Red lentils cook down to an almost creamy texture and there’s lots of chowder textures and flavours with the potatoes, carrots and corn. The coconut milk adds a luscious, silky quality.
There’s curry paste which you’d expect in a curried lentil soup but also a curious addition of asian chili garlic sauce and a very southwestern chili powder – yup, like the kind you add in a big Texas chili. This is a very cosmopolitan lentil soup chowder! It might read as a bit of an oddball on paper, but this soup was delicious. It leans more towards the curry flavours than the southwest, but I do like thinking of this as a chowder so I’m sticking with the name. I went back for a second bowl and the husband thought it was quite tasty, so success! The leftovers that I ate today for lunch were, I think, even better. Not bad for such a wacky seeming soup. A definite bright spot for the end of February.
southwest curry chowder
It’s weird because I was out of onion and normally I’d add at least a half of one to a soup like this. So if you want to add an onion, please go ahead. I probably will do the same when I make it next time. But the really pleasing thing was, this soup tasted amazing without it. Who knew?2 T coconut oil
2 fat cloves garlic, chopped
1 carrot, finely diced
2 medium potatoes, diced
1 c red lentils
1 t chili powder
1 T (heaping) curry paste (I use Patak’s madras paste)
water or stock (I used chicken stock)
1 T chili garlic sauce (optional)
1 can of light coconut milk
1 c frozen corn
salt & pepperIn a medium-large soup pot, heat coconut oil and add in garlic, carrot, and potatoes and let things sweat it out for a minute or two. Add in lentils, chili powder and curry paste and stir things around so everything is coated. Pour water or stock over everything, covering the vegetables and lentils by about 1 inch or so. Stir in chili garlic sauce, if using. Put on lid and simmer for 20 minutes or until lentils and vegetables are nearly tender. Pour in coconut milk and corn and cook for another 10-15 minutes before serving. Season with salt and pepper, if needed. Serves about 4.
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Yet again a very delicious recipe! Thanks for sharing this bowl of awesomeness!
Soup is the best. I’ve slowly worked on my not-soup-loving husband to get him to like it. A thick and chunky soup was the key (or adding a lovely side like grilled cheese or garlic naan to a puree style soup).
perfect february food! i pretty much live off soup in the winter and this one sounds amazing. definitely one to add to my soup repertoire. thanks!
Yummy,
I love coconut milk and soups. Still struggling with coconut oil but Ithink it will not be detectable in this meal.
Thank you for your recipe and inspiration 🙂
http://potsofsmiles.blogspot.co.uk/
xxx
Amber, thank you! It’s definitely awesome.
Michelle, what is it about soup-hating husbands? Not a fan.
Thanks Karen, I hope you try it out.
Nathalie, it’s a great one. What’s your issue with coconut oil?
Made this last night and it was delicious. I was out of chili powder so used 1/2 tsp Aleppo pepper and replaced the curry paste with 1 tablespoon of curry powder + 1 tsp. cumin + 1/4 tsp turmeric. Looking forward to the leftovers tonight!
I am home this weekend on a short hiatus from work travel. Fridge is near empty but i saw you had posted a new recipe and i had almost everything on hand to make it. Delish! I was out of Indian curry paste and hesitated … will it be weird with Thai curry paste instead? I took a chance and can report that it was great with the green curry paste I used. I might add a squeeze of lemon to the leftovers before I dig in.
So so happy you’ve decided to keep gracing us with your blog posts!!
Hey,
This one definitely going to be added in my one of the soup recipes.
Thanks for sharing this soup bowl with all of us.
Keep blogging. 🙂
Shantanu sinha
Yum. I have coconut milk waiting in the pantry for this.
Jody, I’m so glad you enjoyed this one!
Oooh, good to know the soup works with a green curry paste, Janice! This soup is clearly versatile 🙂
Thanks Santanu.
JessB, it’s always good to have a can waiting for soup!
I had coconut curry soup for lunch and it was wonderful. Need to try this one!!!
I never had this curry and didn’t Know about taste and recipe so I will Try this recipe… Thanks for sharing Ingredients and methods to cook..
Can’t get enough of recipes with coconut milk… This looks like some soup, thank you!
This curry chowder looks absolutely amazing! Thanks for the recipe!