Recipe of the Month

I-tal Soup with Dumplings

I-tal soup is a staple in the Rastafarian diet. I-tal or natural food usually consists of an assortment of peas & vegetables cooked in coconut milk without any salt. I added a bit of salt to mine.  This is a nourishing pot of soup you can eat off of all week long ✌🏽️

Ingredients:

Soup:

Coconut oil

3 large garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 small yellow onion, diced

1 c red lentils

1 small pumpkin or kombocha squash, cubed

3-4 cups of root veg of your choice: potato, carrot, cassava, taro, etc., cubed

3/4 Zucchini, cubed

10 Green beans , chopped 1/4 inch

1-2 c chopped greens

1/4 -1/2 cup fresh chives 

3 long sprigs fresh thyme 

1/2 c coconut milk, or more to taste  

Himalayan crystal salt & pepper to taste, if desired

Dumplings: ( optional but yummy!)

3/4 c Whole grain flour

Water/coconut milk enough to make 'dough' - like consistency 

1/2 tsp Himalayan crystal salt

Steps:

Rinse red lentils until water runs clean. 

In a large soup pot saute onions & garlic in coconut oil for a few minutes. Add lentils & enough water so it's about an inch above the lentils. Cook until they 'pop ' open, or soften. 

Add cubed pumpkin or squash along with more water ,  just enough so it's about 3 inches above squash & lentils. When squash becomes tender, you can mash some of the cubes with the back of a wooden spoon to the side of the pot, adding creaminess to the soup base. 

Add root veg, thyme & chives, along with enough water so it's 3-4 inches above ingredients. Simmer for 5 -7 minutes.

Add all remaining ingredients, along with another 1-2  c of water to get desired 'soup-I-ness'.

*While soup is simmering, make dumplings by making a dough from the flour, water/coco milk & salt. Break of bits of dough, roll into little balls & place in soup pot. *

Cook until root veggies are tender & ready to eat.

Peace & Give Thanks,

Sacha