Red Lentil Soup With Turmeric, Masala Yogurt, Toasted Seeds, and Cilantro

33-Year-Old Member of Louisiana Governor’s Staff Dies of CCP Virus Complications

A 33-year-old member of Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards’s staff has died due to complications from the CCP virus, also known as the novel coronavirus. April Dunn served in the governor’s office of disability affairs. “It is with heavy hearts that we mourn the loss of our dear April,” Edwards said in a statement Saturday. “She brightened everyone’s day with her smile, was a tremendous asset to our team and an inspiration to everyone who met her.” Dunn served as the chair of the Louisiana Developmental Disabilities Council and was a part of the State As A Model Employer Taskforce, Edwards said in the statement. “I was proud to have an advocate like April on the task force and on my staff. She set a great example for how other businesses…

This soup was inspired by a soup I ate and loved at the Little Fox in Ennistymon in County Clare, Ireland. I’m not sure how they made it, but here is my interpretation, which I love. It’s made in minutes, really sustaining, and super-delicious.

Serves 6

• 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil or butter
• 8 ounces onions, chopped (about 2 cups)
• 2 teaspoons peeled and grated fresh turmeric
• 1 1/4 cups red lentils
• 5 cups homemade vegetable or chicken stock
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin seeds
• 2 teaspoons sunflower seeds
• 1 teaspoon each of black and white sesame seeds 
• A squeeze of organic lemon juice, to taste
• Sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper 
• Cilantro leaves, to garnish

For the masala yogurt:

• 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 6 tablespoons plain yogurt

Heat 2 tablespoons of the extra virgin olive oil or butter in an 8 1/2-inch/3 1/2-quart heavy-based saucepan. Stir in the onions, then cover and sweat over gentle heat for 5–10 minutes until soft but not colored. 

Add the turmeric and cook for a minute or two before stirring in the lentils. Season generously with salt and pepper. Pour in the stock, bring back to a boil, and simmer for 6–8 minutes until the lentils are soft. 

Meanwhile, mix the pumpkin, sunflower, and sesame seeds in a small bowl with the remaining 4 tablespoons of oil or butter.

To make the masala yogurt, combine the cumin and coriander seeds in a mortar and grind to a fine powder. Stir into the plain yogurt in a bowl and season with salt, to taste.

Blend the soup to a coarse puree in a blender or food processor. Taste and add a squeeze of lemon juice and some more salt and pepper, if needed. 

Ladle the soup into wide soup bowls, drizzle some masala yogurt over the top, and sprinkle with the seeds. Garnish with fresh cilantro leaves and serve as soon as possible.

Recipe reprinted with permission from “One Pot Feeds All” by Darina Allen. Published by Kyle Books.

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Yale University said that it would provide 300 beds and expedite COVID-19 testing to its home city’s first responders who may have been exposed to the virus. The move came after New Haven, Connecticut, Mayor Justin Elicker criticized Yale for declining to make a residence hall available to the city’s police officers and firefighters. Elicker said during a Friday online press conference that the Ivy League school turned down the mayor’s request because “all of the residence hall rooms on campus are filled with student belongings.” “Our student rooms still contain their belongings, but we have teams planning the feasibility of packing and storing all the student belongings so that the rooms could be utilized,” Yale responded in a statement, reported New Haven Register. “We are pursuing schemes that involve…