Help salvaging soup

cee_jay

I just made a curried red lentil soup, following the recipe at http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/19138/curried+red+lentil+soup. I left out the tomato as I am not a fan.
However, it's very very bland and tasteless. Any ideas what I could add to it to give it more flavour?

Alidee

Add tomato.....!!! On a serious note perhaps it's just missing more salt and pepper, or have a google at other recipes for the same soup and see is there something magical in them.

oscarBravo

Building a flavour profile is something you just have to experiment with; practice makes perfect. Today we had slow-braised beef cheeks. The braising liquid was tasty enough, but it wasn't special. We strained it off and put it on to reduce, then had a wee conference about what to add to it. By the time we were done we had added redcurrant jelly, Worcester sauce, red wine, port, balsamic vinegar, fresh and dried thyme, lemon juice and cornflour. By the time we served it, it was amazing.

I'd start (carefully) with salt and pepper. Think about the different flavour components (sweet, sour, salt, bitter, umami). Ask yourself where on that spectrum you want it to be, and where it currently is. Add ingredients that will balance it away from where it's at, and learn which herbs and spices will bring it to life.

Good luck!

CJhaughey

I'd hazard a guess that the curry powder should be doubled and I wouldn't use the mild stuff, also instead of vege stock use chicken stock.
Tomato has flavour enhancing properties so you may need to use something else to give a glutamate hit, Celery,Mushrooms Tomato, all contain glutamate.
Ginger sauteed with the garlic and onion would also help.

cee_jay

I added some more curry powder, and threw in some tumeric, sea salt and black pepper for good measure, and it isn't too bad now. Thanks all for your help. Will try the tomatoes next time, and maybe the ginger idea which sounds good!

MadsL

Missing heat. Add chile. Preferably some decent green chile which you have roasted until charred, then remove the black skin. Remove seeds and finely chop.

Alternatively a little red chili (mere mortals use an i not an e) powder.