Tibetan Lentil Soup

Description
This is a simple, healthy, and unusually spiced soup. It is really satisfying.



Ingredients

 * 1 1/2 cups dried lentils, rinsed
 * 6 cups water
 * 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
 * 1 1/2 cups onions, chopped
 * 2 cloves garlic, minced
 * 1 fresh chili pepper
 * 1 carrot, peeled and diced
 * 1 potato, diced
 * 2 teaspoons ground coriander
 * 3 cups undrained canned tomatoes
 * 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped
 * 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
 * 2 teaspoons cumin

Directions
Bring the lentils and water to a boil, then reduce the hear, cover and simmer until tender- about 20 minutes Meanwhile, heat oil and saute the onions, garlic and chile for 5 minutes. Add the carrots, potatoes, coriander and cumin and saute for another minute, stirring to prevent sticking. Remove from the heat and set aside When lentils are tender, coarsely chop the tomatoes right in the can and stir them into the soup pot. Add the chopped cilantro, salt, and sauteed vegetables. Cover and simmer for about 10-15 minutes, until all of the vegetables are tender.