Tara's Curried Red Lentil Soup with Swiss Chard and Chick Peas

ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, cut in quarters and thinly sliced
5 teaspoons curry powder
1/8 - 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, depending on how spicy you like it
8 cups of water
1 carrot, cut in half lengthwise, then sliced
1 pound red lentils (about 2 1/4 cups), rinsed
1 1-inch piece of kombu**, optional
2 large bunches of Swiss chard*, tough stalks removed, coarsely chopped
1 15-ounce can garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained
Juice of 1 lemon
Sour cream or greek-style yogurt

directions

Heat oil in heavy, large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion; sauté until golden, about 10 minutes. Mix in curry and cayenne. Add water. Increase heat; bring to boil. Add carrot, lentils, and kombu (if using); reduce heat to medium. Cover; simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add Swiss chard and garbanzos; cook for another 10 minutes and stir occasionally. Lentils should be soft and creamy. If not, cook for a couple of minutes more. This soup tends to be quite thick, so add more water if you prefer a thinner consistency. Remove kombu and either discard or eat it if you want to. I usually eat it. Stir in juice of one lemon. Season with sea salt and pepper (this soup usually needs a fair amount of salt since it isn’t broth-based). Serve in bowls topped with a dollop of sour cream or yogurt and a slice of my “All Too Easy Garlicky Toast.”