The Orange County
                                                                    Macrobiotic Potluck Club

Prepared by Jack & Doris, July 2004 - Modified from a recipe in Christina Cooks by Christina Pirello, page 62. "A comforting thick soup, it's sweet with an underlying spicy flavor. Serve with a crisp, fresh salad and a chunk of whole-grain bread and you have created the perfect light meal."

1-2 Tbl Extra-Virgin Olive Oil	1 Tsp Turmeric
2-3 Cloves Fresh Garlic, Finely	1 Cup Green Or Brown Lentils
-Minced	-Sorted And Rinsed Well
1 Small Yellow Onion, Diced	1 Bay Leaf
Pinch Sea Salt	4 Cups Spring Or Filtered Water
1 Carrot, Diced	-Or Homemade Vegetable Broth
1 Small Sweet Potato (Or Yam)	2 Tsp White Miso
-Diced	2-3 Sprgs Fresh Basil, Finely
1 Small Dried Red Chile, Crushed	-Minced
1 Tsp Ground Cumin

Place the oil, garlic and onion in a soup pot over medium heat. When the onion begins to sizzle, add salt and sauté for 2 min. Add the carrot, sweet potato and another pinch of salt and sauté, stirring occasionally, until shiny with oil. Add the chili, cumin and turmeric and stir well. Add the lentils, bay leaf and water, cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the lentils are quite soft, about 45 min. Remove a small amount of broth and use to dissolve the miso. Stir the miso mixture into the soup, remove the bay leaf and simmer the soup, uncovered, for 3 to 4 min. to activate the enzymes in the miso. Stir the basil into the soup and serve immediately