Name: Instant Pot Thai Red Lentil Soup
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Thai
Ingredients: To cook:; 1 tablespoon coconut oil; 1/2 large onion, diced; 1 large carrot, diced; A knob of ginger, halved; 1 large clove garlic, diced; A handful of cilantro, stems chopped and leaves reserved for garnish; 1.25 cup red split lentils (dry); 2 tablespoons red curry paste; 1 vegetable stock cube; 1 tablespoon soy sauce (or fish sauce); 4.5 cups water; To finish:; 1 cup coconut milk (not the diluted drink); 3-4 cups roughly chopped spinach leaves or baby spinach; 2-3 tablespoons lime juice; To garnish:; Fried shallots; Seeds; Extra fresh cilantro/coriander; Chopped scallions/spring onions

Description

Thai-inspired red lentil soup cooked in the Instant Pot is the perfect vegetarian and gluten-free dinner for the whole family. Keeps and freezes well and great for batch cooking.

Ingredients

To cook:

1 tablespoon coconut oil

1/2 large onion, diced

1 large carrot, diced

A knob of ginger, halved

1 large clove garlic, diced

A handful of cilantro, stems chopped and leaves reserved for garnish

1.25 cup red split lentils (dry)

2 tablespoons red curry paste

1 vegetable stock cube

1 tablespoon soy sauce (or fish sauce)

4.5 cups water

To finish:

1 cup coconut milk (not the diluted drink)

3-4 cups roughly chopped spinach leaves or baby spinach

2-3 tablespoons lime juice

To garnish:

Fried shallots

Seeds

Extra fresh cilantro/coriander

Chopped scallions/spring onions

Instructions

Turn the Instant Pot on and set to Saute. Add the oil, onions, carrot, ginger, garlic and cilantro and cook for 2-3 minutes. Stir in the red curry paste. Turn the Saute function off.
Add the rest of the cooking ingredients, stir and close the lid. Set to Pressure Cook/Manunal, HIGH pressure for 10 minutes. After 3 beeps, the Instant Pot will begin to build the pressure and then the timer will start (note that cooking begins even during the pressure build up).
Once cooking time comes to an end, release the pressure naturally for really soft, puree-like lentil soup and do a quick release for more textured, firmer lentils.
Open the lid and stir in the coconut milk, baby spinach and lime juice. Set to Saute for 2-3 minutes to cook the spinach.
Taste for seasoning and add more salt if you like. If the soup seems too spicy, add more coconut milk.
Serve with preferred toppings and extra fresh cilantro.

Notes

Split lentils vs whole lentils: please note that the split lentils will cook quicker than whole lentils. If cooking larger lentils, add 5 more minutes to the cooking time.

Spinach: you can add fresh spinach or defrosted frozen spinach to the soup.

Coconut milk: we used full-fat canned coconut milk (not diluted coconut milk drink); either shake the can really well or use the thickened part of the coconut milk and discard the reallyw watery liquid.