Mediterranean lentil soup

With the winter setting in early here at Seattle, we are always looking for comfort foods for dinner time and there is nothing better than a bowl of hot soup. This soup was one such experiment, where we tried to recreate the taste of a lentil soup we once had at a Mediterranean Restaurant. Not only is this soup very quick to make, it is filling and equally refreshing with hints of lemon here and there.

Ingredients

Split moong dal: 1 cup
Tomatoes (cubed): 1
Garlic pods (whole): 2-3
Green chilli (slit): 2-3
Dried dill weed: 1 tablespoon
Olive oil: 2 tablespoons
Lemon juice: 2 tablespoons
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste

* Water can be thrice the quantity of dal. However you can adjust the consistency of the soup from being thick to thin adding more water.

Pressure cook the moong dal, cubed tomatoes garlic pods, green chillies with enough water until the dal is well cooked. Keep stirring so that the dal is completely mushed up. Add salt, a dash of pepper, the dried dill weed and let it boil. Drizzle the heart healthy olive oil into it. Take it off from heat once everything come to a boil. Just before serving squeeze some fresh lemon into it.

Enjoy it hot with a slice of toasted pita bread.