Greek-inspired lentil soup
At a recent group meditation meeting for Vedic meditators, I made a big pot of Greek-inspired Fakes, or lentil soup. It was such a hit and many asked for the recipe, so here it is! It’s super simple, and yet another example of the deep flavour and nourishment that come from the humble lentil.
Greek lentil soup usually includes tomatoes and vinegar which I have left out as they are very heating, acidic and can increase Pitta. I choose to use olive oil here because it feels more authentic than ghee, but you can use what you prefer – if using olive oil, just make sure the heat doesn’t get too high.
You’ll need
1 cup brown lentils, soaked for 4-6 hours and rinsed well
6-7 cups water or homemade broth/stock of choice
1 teaspoon fresh oregano (or dried if you don’t have fresh)
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
1 bay leaf
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 brown onion, chopped
1 large carrot, chopped
2 stalks of celery, chopped
2 potatoes, peeled and chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
Lemon, to serve
Parsley, to serve
How to
In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil then add the onions and garlic. Saute until softened then add the oregano, lentils and bay leaf. Stir for a few minutes before adding the vegetables.
Add the water or broth and simmer for 30-40 minutes or until lentils are nice and soft and soup has thickened. Season with salt and pepper. If the soup gets a little too thick, add more water or broth.
Ladle into bowls, add a generous squeeze of lemon and sprinkle of chopped fresh parsley as well as a final drizzle of olive oil.