Instant Pot Spiced Lentil Vegetable Soup
(My Instant Pot recipes are intended for use with the 8 quart 9-in-1 DUO Plus. If you use a different model, adjust the recipe accordingly.)
This hearty lentil vegetable soup is simple to make and perfect for a cold Winter’s day. A blend of tamarind and warming spices give this soup a bit of a kick.
If you’ve never used tamarind before, it can be a little intimidating. You can purchase it whole (left) or with the seeds already removed (right) — both need to be softened with warm stock and rubbed through a sieve to remove any bits of husk or seeds before adding it to the recipe. You can also purchase it as a ready to use paste.
Ingredients:
2 cups dried red lentils
8 cups (7 + 1) chicken stock
2 tbsp tamarind pulp
4 tbsp ghee or oil
2 tbsp ground coriander
1 tbsp garam masala
1 tbsp salt
4 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp brown mustard seed
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp turmeric
3 large onions, chopped
4 cups zucchini, grated
2 cups carrot, grated
Rinse lentils, and set aside. Heat 1 cup of stock. Soak tamarind until soft, approximately 10 minutes. Remove pulp, reserving the stock, and squeeze out remaining liquid. Rub pulp through a sieve to remove any hard bits of husk and seed. Discard the hard pieces and set the remaining pulp aside with the soaking liquid..
On Saute, heat oil and gently fry the onions until they are soft.
Deglaze pot with some stock, then add remaining stock, tamarind pulp and soaking liquid, zucchini, carrot, and lentils to the pot.
Cancel saute mode. Cover pot with lid, and set the pressure release valve to seal. Cook on High Pressure for 10 minutes.
When the cook time ends, allow the pot to naturally release (NR) for 10 minutes, then open the pressure release valve and release remaining pressure.
Remove lid, and adjust seasoning to taste.