Chunky Red Dal Soup

So my mom can over to spend the weekend with me and so that means I'll be making soup! So that's what I did! I was browsing CL's message board and came across this recipe and decided to give it a try! It didn't take long to make and the smell of the soup cooking was flavorful. I didn't have any Harissa spice and didn't want to buy a whole bottle for fear that I would only use it for this recipe so I just used the recommended substitute chile paste and it seemed to work fine.

Chunky Red Dal Soup
Adapted from Cooking Light

1 1/2 tsp olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 tsp minced garlic
1 1/2 tsp minced peeled fresh ginger
3/4 tsp Spanish smoked paprika
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
3 cups water
1 cup dried red lentils, rinsed and drained
1 cup canned chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp harissa or chile paste
Chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; cook 6 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently. Stir in ginger, paprika, salt, cumin, and pepper; cook 1 minute. Add 3 cups water, lentils, chickpeas, and tomatoes; bring to a boil.

Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 30 minutes or until the lentils are tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in lemon juice and harissa. Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro, if desired.

Yield: 5 servings (serving size: 1 cup)