Indian Vegan Sambar Dahl Soup
Ingredients
- 2 cups red lentils, boiled
- 6 medium-sized potatoes, half steamed
- 2 large carrots, sliced in rounds
- 1 red onion, diced
- 2 tomatoes, diced
- 10 cloves garlic, mashed
- 6 cups vegetable broth
- 1 tsp brown mustard seeds
- 2 tsp cumin seeds
- Whole dried red chilis
- pinch gluten-free Asoefetida (hing)
- 7-8 curry leaves
- 2 tsp sambar masala powder
- 2 cups cilantro, finely chopped
- 4 limes, juiced
- 2-4 cups cups filtered water, as needed
- Sea salt, to taste (optional)
Instructions
- Boil the red lentils with about 3 - 4 cups of water for approximately 24 minutes on medium heat.
- While the lentils are boiling, steam the potatoes for about 20 minutes. This should be about 10 minutes less than the time it takes to get them fully steamed. They will be added to the pot later and will cook through with all the flavors of the soup.
- While they are boiling, this gives you plenty of time to prep the rest of the steps.
- Place 1 tsp of cumin seeds in a sauté pan and dry roast until they become aromatic.
- Then add the onions and cook until they become translucent. Keep adding vegetable broth 1 tbsp at a time to keep it from sticking.
- Then add in the garlic and sauté for 1-2 minutes more. Keep adding vegetable broth as needed
- Add in the tomatoes and carrots. Cook until the carrots are soft, and now add in 1 tsp of the sambar powder.
- Check on the lentils - once they are done, take them off the heat and drain any leftover water.
- Add the lentils and the sautéed veggies and potatoes to a stock pot and add in the remaining vegetable broth. Let this cook for about 10 - 15 minutes on medium heat.
- This will infuse all the flavors into the lentils and the vegetables.
- In a separate sauté pan, you will make Tardka. This is commonly made in Pakistani and Indian food as a ‘finishing’ of a dish.
- Dry roast the brown mustard seeds, cumin, curry leaves, 1 tsp of sambar powder, and the whole dried red chili on high heat until aromatic - stirring continuously for 2 - 3 minutes. You can omit the chili if you don’t like too much heat.
- Once the soup is ready, use a hand blender to blend the veggies and lentils.
- Add the juice of 4 limes.
- Stir in cilantro and top with the tardka.
- Keeps well in the fridge for up to a week. This recipe freezes really well if you wish to save the soup for another time or freeze your leftovers!
Indian vegan sambar dahl soup is one of my personal favorite soups. The inspiration for this traditional South-Indian soup derived from the Sambar Dahl dish. If you have ever had Idlis or Dosas, you will know that Sambar Dahl is often served alongside them. I decided to create a soup version that is easier and quicker and still retains the flavor of sambar dahl. This soup is versatile and satiating. You can add so many different vegetables to it – so it serves as a great soup to use up any leftovers you may have in the fridge! Of course, I have provided my favorite blend of vegetables below, but feel free to try others and let me know how your recipe turns out in the comments below.
The red chili in this soup provides a little heat, not too much, but just enough to add another layer of flavor. The tantalizing flavors in this Indian vegan sambar dahl soup will have your taste buds swooning. The best part is how incredibly healing this soup is – loaded with healing ingredients.
Potatoes
Yes, the potato, despite the bad rap it has gotten throughout the years, is actually an incredibly healing food!
The truth is, what people add to the potato has made them so bad for us. Most people add toxic oils, cheese, butter, milk, and cream to potatoes. This combination of fat plus glucose creates insulin resistance and feeds every type of cancer.
In fact, the entire potato, skin included, is beneficial for our health.
Potatoes are particularly high in Lysine in their bioactive form. Lysine fights cancers, liver disease, inflammation, and viruses such as Epstein-Barr (EBV) and shingles.
Furthermore, potatoes will help ward off liver disease, strengthen your kidneys, soothe your nerves and digestive tract, and reverse Crohn’s, colitis, IBS, and peptic ulcers – all of which result from viruses that the Lysine helps destroy.
In addition to the Lysine, potatoes are also rich in potassium, vitamin B6, and other amino acids. Not only are potatoes antiviral, but they are also antifungal and antibacterial and contain nutritional cofactors and enzymes as well as bioactive compounds which help prevent you from getting too stressed out. As brain food, they also help to keep you grounded and centered.
Onions
Onions contain sulfur compounds that strengthen the immune system, brain, and nervous system. These compounds also help to detoxify heavy metals from the body, such as mercury, cadmium, and lead.
Furthermore, onions are the highest food source of quercetin, a potent antioxidant that can help prevent blood clots, asthma, sinus infections, bronchitis, atherosclerosis, and diabetes.
Carrots
Carrots refuel the liver with the essential glucose and vitamins it needs. They also inhibit the growth of unfriendly microorganisms and rejuvenate your hair, skin, and nails.
Tomatoes
Tomatoes are such a powerful healing food. They contain their own variety of vitamin C that is bioavailable to the liver and lymphatic system. Tomatoes also support the immune system, helping it to remain strong to fight pathogens.
Tomatoes contain fruit acids that help rid sludge from the gallbladder and reduce the size of gallstones, helping to keep the gallbladder healthy. The mineral content in tomatoes is abundant, these can reach the deep inner core of the liver, helping to prevent disease where it commonly begins. Additionally, tomatoes are high in lycopene which is a favorite nutrient of the liver. The liver uses lycopene to prevent cell damage and to help detox red blood cells safely.
“Tomatoes grow at night, under the moonlight, and the liver also responds to moonlight—when it’s a full moon, the liver tends to work harder at cleaning, filtering, and processing in the wee hours of the morning. When organic or heirloom tomatoes are in the diet, the full moon energy that they collected during their growing cycle works with the liver’s ability to cleanse.”
-Anthony William, Fresh Salsa Blog
Garlic
The addition of garlic, onions, and cilantro to the avocado makes this dish an incredible powerhouse against pathogens. Not to mention, garlic contains impressive antibiotic, anti-fungal, anti-cancer, and anti-viral properties.
“One raw crushed clove of garlic contains the antibiotic equivalent of 100,000 units of penicillin and has been proven to be more effective than both penicillin and tetracycline in suppressing certain types of disease-carrying agents.”
Anthony William, Life-Changing Foods
Cilantro
Cilantro is an incredible herb! It helps to pull heavy metals and detoxify the liver. Being antiviral, antibacterial, and anti-worm, cilantro helps to suppress the level of pathogens in the body.
Additionally, cilantro can provide significant adrenal support and has been shown to help balance blood glucose levels and stave off weight gain, brain fog, and memory issues.
One of my favorite combinations is this Indian vegan sambar dahl soup paired with my homemade scones…a little heat with a little sweetness.
For more incredible, family-friendly recipes your whole family will love, check out my Flourish Kids Recipe Book. Included in this book are:
- Drinks: 7 Recipes
- Smoothies and Breakfast: 20 Recipes
- Snacks, Sides and Appetizers: 11 Recipes
- Soups and Salads: 5 Recipes
- Desserts: 12 Recipes
- Dinners/Entrees/Quick Meals: 16 Recipes
Please leave me a comment below letting me know if you make these banana muffins or any of the recipes from the Flourish Kids Recipe Book. I would love to know how it turns out – your feedback is always appreciated.
To your health & happiness,
Muneeza
