Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Difficult: Medium
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups mung beans or red lentils or yellow lentils
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon cardamom
2-3 curry leaves or bay leaves
6 cups chicken stock or vegetable stock (preferably home-made)
3 tablespoons vegetable oil or ghee
2 teaspoons mustard seeds
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
salt and pepper
lemon, sliced

Directions

Rinse the beans or lentils. Bring to a boil with the stock, turmeric, Cayenne, cumin, cardamom and curry/bay leaves. Let simmer until the beans or lentils are very soft (ca 30 minutes). If using bay leaves, remove them now. Curry leaves can be left in the soup.
Mix the soup slightly to a not too smooth consistency (or mash the lentils/beans with a ladle).
Sautee the garlic and mustard seeds lightly in the fat and add to the soup. Let simmer for another 5 minutes. Remove all yellow and white peel from the lemon slices and place in a soup tureen or in individual soup plates.
Serve hot with pita or paratha bread.