“Souper Delicious”

There is nothing more satisfying than the aroma of a deliciously warm bowl of soup on a cold day. Or, for that matter, a cold soup on a hot day. Borscht, for example is a traditional Russian beat soup served cold and though I am not partial to it, I have heard is incredibly refreshing.
Soup is one of the best inventions. It is the food that everyone turns to for warmth, comfort, healing, and in some cases tradition. Why is that people always talk about having chicken soup when they are sick? Where did that notion of a healing soup come from? My family always had ramen noodle soup when we were sick. It was the only time I would have that soup so it was always a little treat when I was sick. Although, by the time I finished the entire pot there would be no broth left because the noodles had soaked it up. There are certain traditional soups like, Harira, which is a Moroccan soup that is eaten during the days of Ramadan. At the camp I worked at, every Tuesday lunch was the highly anticipated grilled cheese and tomato soup. I am not sure how the combination was invented but since working at the camp I always hear the two mentioned together.
Soup is one of those all encompassing meals that change depending on what else is being served and the season in which it is eaten. For example, a person can make a very thick soup, with almost stew like qualities and that can be the full meal. In my family, one of my favorite soups is my mom’s lentil soup, which I then add hot dogs to. That is one of my favorite and most satisfying, mouth watering meals. Or, a person could go with a lighter fall soup like butternut squash and only have it as an appetizer. What ever the soup may be or what it tastes like, there is nothing like a fresh batch of soup served steaming hot.
Soup is also a food that spans all ages. Babies that are still missing their teeth can eat it, while everyone coos as the mother/father lovingly blows on the broth to cool it down. Older people that cannot chew or swallow can be fed it since it goes down easily or it can even be taken intravenously. It can last for days and is normally incredibly healthy. It is a complete meal. Better still is that soup does not need broth. Water works just fine. As I am not a great cook, I am always amazed at how good soup tastes when the soup starts off being a bunch of vegetables in a big pot of water. Soups that have been made from scratch are becoming a neglected art.
In class on one of the cooking days we made a wonderful vegan lentil soup, here is my family’s recipe:

2 onions
2-3 cloves of garlic
2 T vegetable oil
2 Cups of mushrooms
½ t ground coriander
½ t tumeric
½ t ground cumin
½ t ground giner
1 cup red lentils
4 cups water
sea salt and ground pepper as liked

chop the onions and garlic finely. First heat the oil in the saucepan and then sauté the garlic and onion for a few minutes. Chop the mushrooms and then add them to the pan and continue for a few more mintues. Stir in the spices and continue to cook for a few more minutes. Then add the lentils and water and a pinch of salt. Bring everything to a boil, then lower the heat and cook for 15- 20 minutes (or until lentils are soft) covered.