Middle Eastern Red Lentil Soup

Recipe By : Susan Voisin

Sumac is a spice that is very popular in Middle Eastern cooking. It gives dishes a tangy taste. Look for it in Middle Eastern stores, but if you can’t find it, lemon juice is an acceptable substitute.

2 cups chopped onion
2 cloves garlic — minced
5 1/2 cups water
1/2 teaspoon coriander
1/4 teaspoon cardamom
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 1/2 cups red lentils
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or 1 tablespoon dried
salt, to taste
1 tablespoon lemon juice or 1 teaspoon sumac

1) In a pressure cooker, sauté the onion and garlic in 1/2 cup of the water until the onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Add the seasonings and cook for 1 minute. Add the lentils and the remaining water. Seal the pressure cooker and bring it up to high pressure. Cook at high pressure for 4 minutes; then remove from heat and allow pressure to come down naturally.

2) Add the parsley and salt (if using). Add additional water if the soup is too thick. If the lentils are not completely tender, replace the lid (but don’t lock it) and cook until they are done. Just before serving, stir in the lemon juice or sprinkle each bowl of soup with a little sumac.

Regular Directions: Instead of pressure cooking, simmer the soup in a large pot for about 1 hour or until lentils are cooked. Proceed with step 2 above.

Serves 6.  Nutrition (per serving): 193 calories, 10 calories from fat, 1.3g total fat, 0mg cholesterol, 13.6mg sodium, 391mg potassium, 34.6g carbohydrates, 6.4g fiber, 2.4g sugar, 12.8g protein, 3.2 points.

Lentil Tabouli Soup

Recipe adapted from The Pressured Cook : Over 75 One-Pot Meals In Minutes by Lorna Sass

2 tablespoons water
2 cups coarsely chopped onions
6 cups vegetable broth
1 1/2 cups brown lentils
1/3 cup coarse bulgur
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
1 clove garlic — pressed (1 to 2)
3 cups seeded and finely diced plum tomatoes (or 2 cans diced tomatoes)
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh mint or 1 1/2 — teaspoons dried mint or more to taste
1 1/4 teaspoons salt — or to taste
1 cup loosely packed minced fresh parsley — or more to taste
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice — (1 to 3)

Over medium-high heat, heat 2 tbsp. water in the cooker. Cook the onions, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes. Add the broth and stir well to scrape up any browned bits sticking to the bottom of the cooker. Add the lentils, bulgur, and red pepper flakes, if using.

Lock the lid in place. Over high heat, bring to high pressure. Lower the heat just enough to maintain high pressure and cook for 10 minutes. Quick-release the pressure. Remove the lid, tilting it away from you to allow any excess steam to escape.

Stir in the garlic, tomatoes, mint, and salt. Simmer until the garlic loses its raw taste, about 2 minutes. Blend in the parsley and lemon juice. Taste and add more mint, parsley, and lemon juice, if you wish. (I like the soup very lemony and use about 3 tablespoons for the pot-full, but this is a matter of taste.) Serve in large soup bowls.

4 to 6 large servings

Original recipe posted to the Veg-Recipes list

A couple of nights ago at Fresh Choice they were serving a Tuscan White Bean soup I really liked – so I decided I’d try to replicate it at home in the pressure cooker. Here’s what I came up with this afternoon.

1 + 1/2 cups white beans, pre-soaked (I quick soak in PC)
2 onions, coarsely chopped
1 tbl crushed garlic (Gilroy Farms recommended)
1/4 cup water for sautéing onions/garlic
1/2 pound baby carrots, chopped
4 stalks celery, chopped
1 5 oz bag spinach ( de-stemmed, chopped)
2 med. zucchini, chopped
8 oz fresh mushrooms, chopped
1 carton Imagine No Chicken Broth
4 cups water
2 tsp Italian seasoning (I buy in bulk from Whole Foods)
Fresh ground pepper to taste

Sautee onions and garlic until soft. Add all other ingredients. Pot will be full, but don’t worry – the spinach and other veggies have a very high water content, and it will all settle down while cooking. Bring to pressure and cook for 5 minutes. Use natural pressure release. Open lid, add pepper – and serve!

3 corn tortillas, torn into pieces
1 1/2 cups stock or broth
2 medium carrots, bias-cut into 1 1/2″ pieces
1 celery ribs, bias-cut into 1 1/2″ pieces
2 ears of sweet corn, cut into 4 pieces
1/2 small head green cabbage, cut into 4 pieces
8 oz tomato sauce
1 tsp chili powder
1 scallion
1 jalapeno or Serrano pepper
1/3 cup cilantro leaves
4 lime wedges

Combine the tortillas and stock or broth in the pressure cooker. cover the pressure cooker and bring up to high pressure. Immediately remove from heat and release pressure. Carefully transfer contents to a blender or food processor and puree.

Return tortilla puree to the pressure cooker and add carrots, celery, corn, cabbage, tomato sauce, and chili powder. Cover and bring up to high pressure. Reduce heat to stabilize pressure and cook 4 minutes. Release pressure.

Mince the scallion, jalapeno pepper, and cilantro together. Sprinkle some over each bowl of soup and serve each with a lime wedge.

From fatfree.com

2 cups quick-soaked* pinto beans — drained
2 whole garlic cloves — peeled
1 large onion — quartered
4 cups water
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin

Add beans, garlic, onion, and water to cooker, bring to high pressure, and cook for 15 minutes. Drain well and mash with potato masher. Add chili powder and cumin and mix well. Serve with sauteed onions or salsa.

Quick-Soak – Wash beans and pick through. Place in pressure cooker with 3 cups of water for every cup of beans, add 2 teaspoons of salt, bring beans and liquid to high pressure, and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let pressure fall on its own. Drain well and proceed with recipe.

Kitchen tested & typed by Brenda Adams; posted to Veg-Recipes

Brenda’s note: This is a keeper! We were impressed with how nice the beans cooked, soft and perfect; easily mashed right in the pressure cooker when they’d finished cooking.

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NOTES: Pinto beans are traditionally used for refried beans but black beans are delicious also. Spice up or down as much as you like.

I made this simple soup last night and it was heavenly. Here’s what I did: I didn’t have leeks, so I substituted 2 chopped onions. I made up a mixture of Herbes de Provence following the recipe at the end, and at the very end, I pureed part of the soup using a hand-blender, trying to keep most of the carrot pieces intact. Also, I followed the regular directions, not the pressure cooker ones, because it was such a quick-cooking dish. Definitely a keeper.

5 cups water
1 tablespoon vegetable bouillon granules — (heaping measure)
1 cup red lentils — picked over, rinsed
2 cups chopped leeks — include tender tops
3 large carrots; scrubbed — 1/2-inch dice
1 1/2 teaspoons Herbes de Provence
salt and black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (optional) — for garnish

In a heavy soup pot, bring the water and stock powder to a boil. Add the lentils, stir to separate them. Add leeks, carrots and herbs. Return to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the lentils are very soft, about 20 minutes. Stir frequently and well, as the lentils tend to sink to the bottom.

Stir in salt and pepper to taste, garnish with parsley if you wish and serve hot.

PRESSURE COOKER VARIATION: If using a jiggle-top pressure cooker, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil along with the lentils and cook for 4 minutes under high pressure. Allow the pressure to come down naturally or use a quick release method. Stir well and add salt and pepper to taste. Garnish and serve.

HERBES DE PROVENCE has equal measures of dried basil, tarragon, summer savory, rosemary and marjoram. It may include an equal measure of chervil. Add extra basil. Can add dried lavender for aromatic.

NOTES: The aroma of the herbes de Provence in this simple but substantial soup will transport you to a sunny garden in the South of France. Although the soup has no oil, the smooth texture of the red lentils gives it a creamy richness. To enhance this aspect, you can puree all or part of the soup. Red lentils are a prime short-cut legume because they cook so quickly and require no presoaking. Serve the soup with a sliced baguette so you and your guests can mop up every last drop.

Recipe By: Lorna Sass’ Short-Cut Vegetarian: Great Taste in No Time by Lorna Sass

non-stick spray
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 large cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
1 1/2 tsp oregano
generous pinch dried red pepper flakes
1 1/2 cups dried brown lentils, rinsed and picked
2 3/4 to 3 cups water – use larger amount for jiggle top cooker
12 small (about 1 1/4 lbs) new red potatoes, well scrubbed (I used 4 larger new white potatoes cut into chunks)
2 large carrots, thickly sliced on the diagonal
1 to 2 tbsp Dijon mustard (plus I stirred in more at the table)
1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
freshly ground black pepper
3/4 lb quick cooking greens such as spinach, chard, beet greens or watercress, finely chopped (I used red chard)

Pressure cooker:
1. Using non-stick spray or a small amount of water, sauté red pepper and garlic for 1 minute stirring frequently. Stir in oregano, crushed red pepper, and lentils. Add the water, potatoes, and carrots.

2. Lock the lid in place and over high heat, bring to pressure. Lower the heat just enough to maintain high pressure and cook for 9 minutes. Reduce pressure with quick release method. Remove the lid, tilting it away from you to allow any steam to escape.

3. Stir in the mustard, salt, pepper, and greens and simmer until greens are cooked, about 3 minutes.

Stovetop method:

In heavy 3 quart saucepan, follow step 1 using 3 cups of water. Bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, until potatoes and lentils are cooked, about 35 – 40 minutes. Follow step 3.

Adapted from a recipe by Lorna Sass in Lorna Sass’ Complete Vegetarian Kitchen: Where Good Flavors and Good Health Meet

Beans (1 Cup Dry)          Approximate Minutes Under High Pressure

———–                     Soaked 4-8 hours    Unsoaked     Yield in Cups

Aduki                                 5—9                         14—20             2
Anasazi                             4—7                          20—22             2 1/4
Black (turtle)                     9—11                         20—25             2
Black-eyed (cow) peas     —                               9—11             2 1/4
Cannellini                         9—12                         22—25             2
Chick-peas (garbanzos)   10—12                     30—40             2 1/2
Christmas lima                  8—10                         16—18          1 1/4
Cranberry                         9—12                         30—35             2 1/4
Fava*                                 12—18                     22—28             2
Flageolets                         10—14                     17—22             2
Great Northern                     8—12                     25—30             2 1/4
Lentils                                 —                             7—10                 2
Lima (large)*                     4-7                             12—16             2
Lima (baby)                         5—7                         12—15             2 1/2
Peas (split, green)             —                                 8—10             2
Peas (whole, green)           —                                 16—18             2
Pigeon peas (gandules)    6—9                             20—25             3
Pinto                                  4—6                             22—25             2 1/4
Navy (pea)                         6—8                             16—25             2
Red kidney                     10—12                         20—25                 2
Scarlet runner                 12—14                         17—20                 1 1/4
Soybeans (beige)*         9—12                             28—35             2 1/4
Soybeans (black)*         20—22                             35—40             2 1/2

Fava skins remain leathery after cooking and must be removed before serving unless the beans are pureed.

*Requires 2 tablespoons of oil for each cup of dried beans.

Be sure to remove loose skins before cooking.

NOTES: Do not fill the pressure cooker more than halfway. Owners of jiggle-top cookers should add 1 tablespoon of oil per cup of dried beans to control foaming. The timings on this chart are calculated for quick-releasing pressure. If time permits, let the pressure come down naturally, and reduce the cooking time under high pressure by 4 minutes.

From Lorna Sass, “Recipes from an Ecological Kitchen”

Posted to Vegan Pressure Cooking list

1 tsp cumin seed
1/4 tsp ground coriander
1/4 tsp ground cardamom
2 tsps ginger root — grated
1 dash cayenne pepper — optional
1 cinnamon stick — broken in 2
1/4 c red bell pepper — diced
1 1/2 c garbanzo beans — picked over & rinsed
1 qt water
1/2 tsp salt — to taste

Place all ingredients except the salt into the pressure cooker. Lock the lid in place and over high heat bring to high pressure. Adjust heat to maintain high pressure.

If you like your chickpeas with a bit of a crunch, check them after 35 minutes. Reduce pressure with the quick-release method (run cold water over the pot before opening). Remove the lid, tilting it away from youj to allow excess steam to excape. If the chickpeas are not sufficiently cooked, replace the lid and simmer over low heat for a few more minutes. When done, drain off and reserve the excess liquid for another use. (It is excellent for stock.) Add salt to taste. Discard the cinnamon sticks and adjust the seasonings. Serve immediately or at room temperature.

Adapted from a recipe on Veg-Recipes

32 ounces (2 bags) of Black-eyed Peas
1 Heaping Teaspoon Oregano
1/8- ¼ teaspoon salt, (you might want to add salt after cooking if using a pressure cooker)
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (If you like a kick- you can add hot sauce in your own bowl after its cooked, but keep the amount of cayenne friendly if you plan to share- especially with kids)
14.5 ounce can stewed tomatoes
3 celery stalks chopped thin (thick pieces will not be done after cooking time)
1½ cup salsa
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh garlic fresh or from a jar
3 cups liquid – I use 1.5 water and 1.5 broth

Soak the blackeyed peas in a bowl full of water for at least 12 hours and drain water.

Cook the Brown rice in a rice cooker and add the appropriate amount of water to cook.

Add all remaining ingredients into a large pressure cooker and cook on high for 12 minutes. You can do a quick release or let the pressure release naturally.

Put brown rice in bowl and heap black eye peas over the top. Yummy!

This makes lots- enough to share and is wonderful.

Recipe by Susan McCoy, posted to VegSource Pressure Cooking Board