Spontaneous soups are often the best. What to have for lunch? Something cozy, delicious and quick. Yellow lentils, a package of Mahatma yellow rice with seasonings and a couple of golden beets in the fridge drawer and some chicken broth…30 minutes later and we were enjoying lovely, warm and steamy bowls of “Golden Soup”. So very “easy-as-this”.
In my early cooking days one of the most exotic items available in local groceries was Mahatma seasoned rice. There were no local import groceries, nor International aisles in supermarkets. There was little to be had from other cultures in the way of food….I thought a package of yellow seasoned rice was “it”. To this day a few packages reside alongside lots of other aromatic and culturally-dense rice in my pantry. No rice shaming please. Thank you.
Saltines and a heavy-handed splash of Cholula…lunch is ready. Be well. Do the right thing. Wear your mask. It can be as “easy-as-that”.
Golden Soup - Lentils, Rice and Beets
Ingredients:
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 yellow onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup yellow lentils
- One 5 oz. package yellow rice with seasonings (like Mahatma brand)
- 2 small, or one large yellow beet, peeled and thinly sliced, then chopped
- 4 cups water
- 2 cups chicken broth (or veg)
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme or Italian seasoning
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- To Serve: Saltines and hot sauce, like Cholula
Directions:
- Saute onions and garlic in olive oil over medium high heat until slightly softened. Turn heat to medium.
- Add in lentils, rice packet, beets and stir well. Pour in water, broth and herbs, a generous pinch of salt and black pepper. Bring to a boil.
- Turn heat to low and cook for 30 minutes or until beets are just softened. Add more broth or water if soup gets too thick. Taste, adjust seasonings if need be. Serve with crisp saltines and a splash of hot sauce if you like.
If you soup only tastes half as good as it looks, then it is a real winner. Love the color!
Karen I am wishing you and your family a happy and healthy and delicious New Year.
Interesting?
Very and delicious and easy and very Golden. xoxo
Improv with what’s on hand guides most everything I make as that typically follows the seasons. But the yellow rice- genius!
As you know I am not a food snob and sometimes it is fine, as you know, to take the familiar and comforting path to cooking….what’s on hand and can be combined to make food more than just…..Love to you Jill and thank you. T
Yummy! The color is beautiful!!