LENTIL AND CACTUS SOUP (MOM'S RECIPE)

Lentil and Cactus Soup (Mom's Recipe) image

This is an authentic Mexican recipe from Cueva Grande, Valparaiso, Zacatecas, Mexico. The only thing I changed was the addition of the potatoes.

Provided by ralph512

Categories Soups, Stews and Chili Recipes Soup Recipes Beans and Peas Lentil Soup Recipes

Time 1h50m

Yield 10

Number Of Ingredients 12

Ingredients

14 cups water
3 cloves garlic, cut into thirds
1 pound lentils, picked over and rinsed
1 ½ tablespoons chicken bouillon (such as Knorr®)
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
½ small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tomato, chopped
¼ teaspoon ground cumin, or to taste
2 teaspoons chicken bouillon (such as Knorr®), or to taste
1 cup cooked nopales (cactus), drained
3 small potatoes, peeled and chopped

Steps:

Bring the water to a boil in a soup pot with 3 cloves of garlic. Stir in the lentils and 1 1/2 tablespoons of chicken bouillon. Simmer over medium-low heat until lentils are almost soft, about 1 hour.
Heat extra-virgin olive oil in a skillet, and cook and stir the onion and 2 chopped cloves of garlic until the onion becomes translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato and continue to cook and stir until the tomato releases its juice, about 5 more minutes. Stir the tomato mixture into the lentil soup along with cumin and 2 more teaspoons of chicken bouillon, or to taste. Bring the soup to a simmer, stir in the nopales and potatoes, and cook over low heat until the potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 186.5 calories, Carbohydrate 33.7 g, Cholesterol 0.2 mg, Fat 1.2 g, Fiber 10.6 g, Protein 11.9 g, SaturatedFat 0.2 g, Sodium 261.4 mg, Sugar 3.2 g