Lentil Soup with Loomi
Loomis are boiled and dried limes that are a key ingredient in many Middle East dishes. Find them at Middle East and Persian markets and use them in this deeply flavored slow-cooked soup. It should tide you over until Shemali's deli and lunch counter, famous for its lentil soup, gets back into the Giant complex on Wisconsin Ave - if they ever develop the site...
Serves 8 - 10
2 large onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped
2 tomatoes, finely chopped
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 loomis, the skin punctured with a thumb
1 small hot pepper, finely chopped
8 cups water
1 cup split lentils, rinsed
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon cumin seeds, dry roasted
1 teaspoon ground coriander seeds
Pinch of saffron
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
Heat oil in a large heavy bottomed pan and saute first four ingredients, the cumin, coriander and the hot pepper over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Add remaining ingredients, except lemon juice, and bring to boil. Cover and cook over medium heat for 25 minutes till everything is soft. Remove one quarter of the soup then blitz the rest in a blender. Return everything to a clean pan, reheat, stir in the lemon juice, adjust seasoning to taste, then serve.
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