An Indian friend of mine recently taught me how to make daal soup, and I 
am nearly beside myself with glee. I had been going to a little hole-in-the-wall Pakistani restaurant in North Berkeley for daal for the better part of the past two years, and now I can make my own. This recipe could not be more forgiving — you can really just rummage around in your vegetable drawer and use whatever you find. Lentils create the base for the soup and take on the flavors of whatever else you care to add.
You can also feel good about eating daal, because it’s pretty nutritious. 
Lentils are the staple grain of South Asia. They are hearty and loaded with protein and fiber, making them among the most nutritious of all legumes and a must-eat for vegetarians. Wikipedia says lentils are 26% protein and have the third-highest level of protein in the plant kingdom, after soybeans and hemp. They also come in many colors–including red, orange, bright yellow, green and white–which makes for fun and artful cooking.
Note: My recipe is spicy, but you can adjust it to your liking by reducing the amount of serrano pepper.
Ingredients
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 inch piece of ginger, peeled and grated
1 shallot, minced
5 cups vegetable stock
1 cup orange lentils
1 carrot – diced
1 tomato – diced
1 potato – peeled and diced
1/4 cup fresh mint, minced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, minced
1 small serrano pepper, seeded and minced
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp coriander
2 tsp salt (or to taste)
1 tsp freshly ground pepper
Heat the oil in a medium saucepan until hot. Add the ginger and shallot and cook until soft and fragrant. Pour in the water and the lentils. Cook over high heat for five minutes, until simmering. Add the remaining ingredients and continue to cook until the lentils are softened, about 15 minutes.
Serve immediately and garnish with a dollop of plain yogurt and minced cilantro.
