Lentil Soup with Celery Root
Start with a dry skillet. That third of a teaspoon of cumin, toasted with no oil at all for two or three minutes until the seeds darken a shade and smell resinous, changes the whole bowl: dry heat opens the essential oils in a way simmering broth never does. Drop the same spice straight into the pot and you will barely register it.
Everything else rests on red lentils. Alone among lentils they collapse in 10 to 15 minutes and thicken the liquid themselves, which is why there is no cream and no flour here even though the texture turns velvety. Green or brown lentils hold their shape and would leave you with grit, so a swap means longer cooking and a harder job for the blender. Grate the celery root rather than dicing it — about 5 oz of fine shreds softens in exactly the time the lentils need, and nothing stringy survives the blender. The spoon of fat-free yogurt at the table is there for acidity, cutting the earthiness of the root; Greek yogurt, or the thick full-fat sour cream Ukrainians call smetana, works too, though it makes a richer bowl.
Part of Ukrainian cuisine — 464 more recipes in the section.
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Ingredients
Instructions
Lightly toast the cumin in a dry, oil-free pan, letting its aroma develop.
Heat the oil in a pot. Add the grated celery root, lentils, milk, and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil and cook for 10-15 minutes, until the lentils and celery are soft. Season the soup with salt and pepper and blend everything until smooth.
Drizzle the soup with olive oil, sprinkle with chopped herbs, and serve with the yogurt.
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