Join KindChef Deb online for KindSoup for Students as we make Red Lentil with Cauliflower (based on this recipe from the Washington Post). After completing your soup, and sharing some with your family, freeze and label the rest for donation, then drop off at one of our participating food assistance providers.
Students can earn 1 Student Service Learning Hour for every 3 quarts of frozen soup made with the group and delivered to others. There is a maximum of 9 quarts that can qualify for any given day (3 hours). Most recipes render 6 quarts of soup, 2 SSL hours.
In order to receive SSL Hours
- take a picture during preparation and at delivery
- report on where you shared your KindSoup
- Complete this SSL Form
Red Lentil with Cauliflower Soup
- 1/3 cup neutral oil, such as avocado or canola
- 3 large yellow onions, chopped
- 9 cloves garlic, minced or finely grated
- 3 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 3/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1/3 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/3 cup tomato paste
- 4 1/2 cups dried red lentils, rinsed and picked through to remove any stones
- 21 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth, plus more if needed
- 1 1/2 teaspoons fine salt, plus more to taste
- 12 cups bite-size cauliflower florets (from 1 1/2 medium heads)
- 3 cups light coconut milk, plus more for optional garnish
- 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice, plus more to taste
Instructions
- In a large soup pot over medium heat, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender but not brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and cook, stirring, until aromatic, 30 seconds more. Stir in the cumin, turmeric and cayenne pepper until aromatic, about 30 seconds. Stir in the tomato paste to incorporate, followed by the lentils. Add the broth and salt, and bring to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes. If the lentils have absorbed most of the broth, add more as needed – 1 cup at a time – for a thick but soupy consistency. Add the cauliflower and return the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat so the soup is at a simmer and cook until the cauliflower is soft, 20 to 25 minutes more. Remove from the heat and, using an immersion blender, puree until smooth. (Or, you can puree the soup in batches in a blender: To prevent spatters, be careful to not fill it more than halfway, remove the center ring from the lid, and hold a kitchen towel over the lid as you blend.) Stir in the coconut milk and lemon juice, then taste, and season with additional salt, if desired.
- Ladle the soup among the bowls, garnish with a drizzle of coconut milk, if desired, and serve hot
Health and Safety Information
In order to protect the the quality of our KindSoup program, we ask that volunteers conscientiously observe the following guidelines:
- Start with clean hands and wash again frequently as needed throughout the cooking process.
- Start with clean kitchen surfaces and utensils (antibacterial wipes do a great job).
- Keep longer hair tied back.
- Follow other common sense procedures, such as never returning a tasting spoon to the pot!
Thank you for maintaining a high cleanliness standard for our KindSoup donations!
STUDENTS:
Prior to our Sunday, May 5th cooking session:
- Confirm your participation by signing up at the bottom of this page
- Gather your ingredients
- Make sure that you have either a Soup Pot large enough to hold all of this soup, or two smaller ones that will together hold it all
- Have 6 quart sized plastic soup containers with tight fitting lids (ask your neighbors if you could have theirs rather than them recycling them – they will be thrilled)
Have all of your ingredients and cooking tools out and ready for when you sign on to our zoom at 5pm. (long hair should be tied back, and everyone should start with freshly washed hands and gloves if you have them) You can start peeling and chopping your onions, carrots and potatoes while you wait for us to begin.
Everyone’s first name should identify them on our zoom screen please.
See you soon!!
How to Donate Your KindSoup
Seal containers with a tight lid and freeze. Label each container with: date prepared, your first name and last initial, “Red Lentil with Cauliflower Soup” and any relevant food allergy info (which we will discuss on the call). As soon as is convenient, drop containers of frozen soup off at one of the following participating food assistance providers, and can give one quart away also to a person or family that is in your heart and/or going through a difficult time. You will report all KindSoups that you shared – with to the food assistance organization, or to those people whom you know.
- Here2Help @ Bethesda Presbyterian Church, 7611 Clarendon Road, Bethesda. (Go down driveway next to brick house just before the church on Clarendon and look for coolers labeled for soup donations). Drop off Sundays, 10 am-12 noon.
- Homes Not Borders 3610 East St., Landover. Drop off daily 10 am-2 pm. NOTE: Soups dropped here must be vegetarian or Halal only, as they will be shared with newly arriving refugee families in the area.
- Rainbow Community Development Center 12120 Tech Road, Silver Spring (this takes you to the rear parking lot and loading dock – there is usually a large RAINBOW truck parked here): Drop-off Monday-Friday 9am-2pm. NOTE: If you go during Rainbow’s food distributions on Tuesdays/Thursdays from 9am-noon, you may see a long line of cars – you can drive past the cars to drop off your KindSoup. If you go at other times and the garage or back door is not open, call or text Anna on her personal cell at 301-852-4184 (if she doesn’t answer, leave a message and she should get back within a few minutes, or try calling the Rainbow Pantry cellphone: 240-639-2293).
- So What Else 4924 Wyaconda Road, Rockville, 240-705-4345. (Look for the Dogtopia. Drive straight past Doptopia to get to our parking lot. The entrance will be on the right hand side as you pull into the parking lot. After you park, walk up to the glass door at the bottom of the black ramp, ring the doorbell, let the team know you’ve arrived to drop off KindSoups): Drop-off Monday-Friday 8am-4pm and Saturdays 6am-12pm.
- Upcounty Consolidation Hub 12900 Middlebrook Rd., Germantown (supporting 1,000 families with food and other supports). Drop off Tuesdays, Wednesdays, or Fridays 8 am-4:30 pm.
- Embry Rucker Shelter 11975 Bowman Towne Drive, Reston, 703-437-1975. Leave donations on the table around the back. Drop off anytime!
Here are some options for donating outside the DC area:
- NYC Community Fridges located throughout New York City.
- Bread and Roses 58 Newbury St., Lawrence, Mass., 978-681-8768. Drop off Mondays-Thursdays, 10 am-4 pm.
- The Bristol Lodge 27 Lexington St., Waltham, Mass., 781-893-0108. Drop off Mondays-Fridays, 9am-6pm.
- Community Refrigerators located in Los Angeles
See you in the KindSoup kitchen!
Learn more about this KindWorks program
Online KindSoup for Students
Date: May 5, 2024
