Mulligatawny

Mulligatawny Adapted from Madhur Jaffrey via Saveur
Serves 8

We recommend making this a day ahead.

• Topping
  
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper (or substitute with red pepper flakes)
• ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
• ½ teaspoon black mustard seeds
• 2 dried chiles de arbol
• 1 ¼ cup cherry tomatoes, sliced thin
• 
  
• Soup
  
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 tablespoons minced ginger
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 large yellow onion, minced
• 1 to 2 jalapeños, minced
• ¼ cup chickpea flour (or substitute all-purpose flour)
• 1 tablespoon ground coriander
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
• ¼ teaspoon hot red chile powder or cayenne
• 1 teaspoon yellow curry powder
• 9 cups chicken stock or vegetable stock
• 1¾ cups red lentilsm
• 3 tablespoons cilantro, mincedm
• 1 cup canned coconut milk
• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon hot sauce
• Salt and pepper to taste

Cook olive oil, Aleppo, cumin seeds, mustard, chiles, and tomatoes in a small saucepan over high heat until bubbling and fragrant; set sauce aside.

Heat butter in a 6-qt. saucepan over medium-high heat and add ginger, garlic, onion, and jalapeño; cook until browned and soft, 15 minutes.

Add flour, coriander, cumin, red chile, curry powder and turmeric to pot; cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add stock and lentils and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook, covered, until tender, 45 minutes.

Working in batches, purée the soup until smooth.

Stir in cilantro, coconut milk, vinegar, hot sauce, salt, and pepper; divide among bowls. Spoon some of the tomato topping over each bowl. Garnish with yogurt and eat with pita or naan.