Indian Soup with Red Lentils and Yellow Split Peas

Orange, as happiness. Hot, as the summer that's going away, or the one that never really got here. Tasty and spicy like only an Indian soup can be.
Someone like it hot. Can you really blame them?


Indian Soup
with Red Lentils and Yellow Split Peas
for 4-5 people

red lentils 200 gr
yellow split peas 200 gr
onion 1
garlic 2 cloves
carrots 2
fresh ginger one 3"-long piece
ground turmeric 1 teaspoon
ground curry 2 tablespoons
ground coriander 1 teaspoon
cardamom seeds 6-7
cumin seeds 1 tablespoon
tomato paste 2 tablespoons
water or vegetable stock as needed
olive oil, salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, fresh cilantro as needed

I left you with a soup, I'm coming back with a soup. Could this be my new obsession?

Wash and drain lentils and peas. Set aside.
Finely chop the onion and cook it in a tablespoon of oil along with the garlic cloves cut in half for about 10 minutes, until it's soft and transparent. Combine finely grated ginger and the rest of the spices, and cook for another 5 minutes. Add carrots, peeled and cut into small cubes, lentils and peas, and tomato paste diluted in half a cup of hot water or vegetable stock. Cook for few minutes, then cover with the rest of the water or stock, season with salt, pepper and cayenne pepper and bring to a boil. Continue to cook over medium-low for about 40 minutes or until lentils and peas are tender, stirring occasionally and adding water if necessary. In the end discard garlic cloves and cardamom seeds, and adjust the amount of spices according to your taste.
Serve hot sprinkling with some chopped fresh cilantro.