Hanukkah recipe: Quick orange lentil soup

Sweet, but with hints of coriander and cumin, this soup from Israeli cookbook author Phyllis Glazer is distinctly Middle Eastern in its approach. It’s perfect for a Hanukkah celebration or any other fall meal, for that matter.

Quick orange lentil soup is one of the favorite holiday recipes we’ve collected in our “Los Angeles Times Holiday Handbook.” The book shares more than 110 seasonal recipes to help you celebrate Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas and New Year’s. We’ve also updated last year’s “Los Angeles Times Holiday Cookies,” so it now includes 65 recipes from a wide range of sources, including world-famous pastry chefs and home cooks.

Each book is $4.99. They are available at the Los Angeles Times bookstore for Kindle, Nook and iBooks.

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Quick orange lentil soup

Total time: 45 minutes

Servings: 8 to 10

2 cups red lentils

1 sweet potato (about 10 ounces), peeled

1 large carrot

1 onion

2 cloves garlic, pressed

2 quarts water

1½ teaspoons coriander

1½ teaspoons turmeric

1½ teaspoons cumin

1½ teaspoons salt

Coconut milk or half-and-half, to garnish

Chopped chives or cilantro (optional), to garnish

1. Wash the lentils: Place the lentils in a pot or bowl and cover with water. Stir or swish the water with your hand (the water will turn murky), drain and repeat the process until the water is clear. Drain and place in a large pot.

2. Chop the sweet potato, carrot and onion into coarse pieces and add them to the pot, along with the garlic. Add the 2 quarts of water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer, partially cover and cook until the vegetables and lentils are softened, 20 to 25 minutes.

3. Stir in the coriander, turmeric and cumin, then stir in the salt. Cook an additional 5 minutes to marry the flavors. Remove from heat and puree the soup (either using a hand blender or in batches using a standard blender).

4. Divide the soup into serving bowls. Garnish each serving with a drizzle of coconut milk or half-and-half to create a design on the surface of the soup. Garnish with chopped chives or cilantro if desired. Serve immediately.

Each of 10 servings: 163 calories; 11 grams protein; 28 grams carbohydrates; 7 grams fiber; 1 gram fat; 0 saturated fat; 0 cholesterol; 3 grams sugar; 365 mg sodium.