Thai Spiced Red Lentil Soup

Ingredients:

• 2 t coriander seeds
• 2 t brown mustard seeds
• 2 t cumin seeds
• 2 T vegetable oil
• 1 onion
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 thai chile
• 2 C vegetable broth
• 15 oz tomato sauce
• 14 oz coconut milk
• 3/4 C red lentils
• 2 t brown sugar
• 1/2 T table salt
• 1/2 C water
• 1 T tamarind concentrate
• 2 C baby spinach
• 1 1/2 C frozen corn
• Cilantro, peanuts, and lime for garnish

Finely chop the onion and garlic; thinly slice the chile; roughly chop the spinach. Rinse the lentils.

Toast and grind the whole spices, and set aside 1 t of them.

Heat the oil over medium heat, then cook the remaining 5t or so of spice mix, onion, garlic, and chile until the onions are softened, about 5 minutes. Add the broth, tomato sauce, coconut milk, lentils, sugar, salt, and water, bring to a simmer, then reduce heat and cook until the lentils are done, about 10 minutes. Stir in the spinach, corn, and reserved spices, and allow to sit, covered, until the spinach wilts and the corn is heated through. Serve with garnishes.

From America's Test Kitchen