Squash and Zucchini in Coconut Lentil Soup

Squash and Zucchini are soothing veggies but go  bland when mixed with yellow lentils. I curried the lentils with ginger,red chillies and few pepper corns to add a zing to the soup. Not to forget tamarind, since it pairs well with sweet coconut and spicy red chillies.

For the curry:

3 dried red organic chillies
Half a lemon sized tamarind ball ( if you don't have tamarind, replace it with two fresh grape tomatoes)
7-8 pepper corns
1/4 cup fresh or dessicated unsweetened coconut

For the soup:
1/4 cup yellow lentils
1 cup opo squash or yellow squash chunks
1 small zucchini chopped into medium chunks
1 green pepper chopped
1 inch ginger grated
Salt to taste(about 1.5-2 tsp)

For Garnish :
2 tsp mustard seeds
Optional -- a sprig of curry leaves
2 tsp oil

Cook the yellow lentils on stovetop covered or pressure cooked.  Add a tsp oil if cooking on stovetop to speed the process. Before cooking the lentils, soak them in water for 30 mins to remove any pesticides residue.
Lentils when cooked should be soft and easy to mash.

Steam the veggies in stockpot or microwave so that are cooked but al dente.

Dry roast the red chillies and pepper corns for a min in a saucepan and on low flame so that chillies don't get charred.
Grind them with the coconut and tamarind to a smooth paste.
In a soup pot,add the veggies with the broth if any and stir in the coconut paste and grated ginger. Add salt, stir and mix in the yellow lentils. Add water to get a semi thick soup and simmer for 5 mins.

Warm the oil in a small pan, crackle the mustard and curry leaves. Add the garnish to the soup.

Serve hot with rice.