Recipes Spicy Red Lentil Coconut Soup with Shrimp Dumplings 5.0 (3,621) Add your rating & review Red lentils make a hearty addition to this tangy and fragrant coconut soup. Warming Soup Recipes By Peter Gordon Updated on September 1, 2022 Print Rate It Share Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: © Lisa Linder Yield: 10 Ingredients SOUP 2 teaspoons fennel seeds 2 teaspoons cumin seeds 2 teaspoons coriander seeds 1/4 cup peanut oil 3 medium carrots, coarsely shredded 2 medium red onions, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise 1 medium leek, white and tender green parts only, thinly sliced 4 garlic cloves, minced 2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger 1 small fresh red chile, seeded and minced 5 cups water 2 3/4 cups unsweetened coconut milk 6 makrut lime leaves or six 1-inch strips of lime zest 3/4 cup red lentils Salt and freshly ground pepper DUMPLINGS 2 small garlic cloves, smashed 1/4 cup cilantro leaves 1/4 cup mint leaves 1 pound large shrimp, shelled and deveined 1 tablespoon cornstarch 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons fish sauce, plus more for serving 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil 1/4 cup fresh lime juice 1/2 cup finely chopped cilantro Directions In a small skillet, toast the fennel, cumin and coriander seeds over moderate heat until fragrant, about 2 minutes; let cool. Transfer to a spice grinder and finely grind the spices. In a medium casserole, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the carrots, onions, leek, garlic, ginger and chile and cook over moderately high heat until softened and lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add the ground spices and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes longer. Add the water, coconut milk and lime leaves and bring to a boil. Stir in the lentils and simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. In a food processor, combine the garlic with the cilantro and mint and pulse until finely chopped. Add the shrimp and pulse until coarsely chopped. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and stir in the cornstarch, 1 tablespoon of fish sauce and the sesame oil. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Using slightly moistened hands, roll teaspoons of the shrimp mixture into balls and arrange on a plastic wrap-lined plate. Add the shrimp dumplings and the 2 teaspoons of fish sauce to the casserole and simmer just until the dumplings are slightly pink and cooked, about 5 minutes. Remove the lime leaves. Stir in the lime juice and cilantro and serve, passing the fish sauce at the table. Make Ahead The soup can be prepared through Step 2 and refrigerated overnight. The shrimp balls can be refrigerated overnight. Suggested Pairing This rich, spicy soup demands a dry and fruity white such as a Sauvignon Blanc. Rate it Print