Red Lentil Stew with Shrimps

Finally, another home evening! I quickly head to the Superbiomarket after work and buy supplies for two American soups I found this morning while browsing Garland’s Lodge. Strictly speaking, it was going to be a chowder there, a stew with chunks left in it. I feel more like pureed soup, the coming fall says hello.

I use 2 carrots, 1 medium onion, 2 stalks of celery, a walnut sized piece of ginger, a clove of garlic. I cut the cleaned vegetables into small cubes and sweat them in olive oil for a few minutes. In the meantime, I rummage through the spice drawer and unearth the following: 1 tsp thyme, 1 tsp marjoram, 2 tsp coriander seeds (ground), 1 tsp cumin (ground), 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, 1 scant tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp salt. Everything now goes into the vegetables and on top a small can of tomato chunks. Heat well again, then I add about 300g red lentils and 1.5 l water. Soon everything is simmering away, it starts to smell in the kitchen.

Now quickly a quarter of a small Hokkaido pumpkin (200 g?) cut into pieces and added to the soup. The boils now again 20 minutes, until everything is soft. The magic wand then makes it into a thick stew, a little water and a good amount of salt is added.

And since such a stirred soup does not look so good, I take one peeled celery stick and fry two shrimps. They end up together with some chopped coriander in the soup plate and everything is good.

bowl of red lentils stew, with shrimps