Spiced Lentil Soup with Cashews

Now that I am back from India, I'm going to explore the cuisine of this fabulous country. I brought back several spices and bought a traditional stainless steel Indian spice container to hold my fresh spices. My first recipe is this soup, adapted from Fine Cooking- Soups and Stews issue - and it turned out to be fabulous! I definitely suggest searching for garam masala - the spice that gives this soup its special flavor. You can use curry powder but there is a difference. Curry powders differ from region to region but are usually made up of cumin, coriander, turmeric, fenugreek, and dried ginger. On the otherhand garam masalas, that also differ from region to region are usually made up of cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, nutmeg. and black pepper. I bought some garam masala at the spice market and it definitely has a taste different from the traditional curry powder I buy here in the U.S. So- if you can get garam masala, please use it for this recipe. You can even grind your own herbs to make your own fresh garam masala, much like many Indian households do. I did check to see if Penzy's spices have garam masala and they do, so you can order it online (by the way- this is the BEST spice store! Check to see if there is a Penzy's store near you!).

Spiced Lentil Soup with Cashews

3 T canola oil
2 medium onions finely chopped
2 tsp garam masala
2 quarts chicken broth (vegetarians can use vegetable both)
2 cans stewed tomatoes with juice (use your hands to tear the tomatoes into little pieces)
4 celery ribs finely diced
3 carrots finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 whole cloves
1.5 cups of orange lentils
1/4 tsp turmeric
1 cup cashews (roasted or raw)
pinch of cayenne pepper (optional) 
salt and pepper to taste
 
1.  Add oil and onions to a soup pot and cook on medium heat until onions are softened.
2. Stir in the garam masala and stir constantly over medium heat for one minute to release aromatic spice flavors.
3. Add all the other ingredients (except for cashews).
4. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes.
5. Add cashews and simmer for 10 more minutes.