Jacob’s Red Sumac Lentil Soup

In the book of Genesis, the story goes that Esau sold his birthright for a bowl of Jacob’s Red Lentil Soup. Most recipes recreating this stew involve red lentils but as we all know, those red lentils turn light tan when they are cooked. Sooo, there must have been something else lending to the red color that Esau was referring to when he said ” Quick, let me have some of that red stew! I’m famished”.

Enter, sumac. The use of herbs is very common in the treatment of several health problems from headaches, arthritis, urinary and digestive problems to many others. Similarly, Sumac is one of these super-powered herbs. Rhus coriaria‘s bioactive compound has been shown to have antibacterial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antiemetic, antidiarrheal, antiviral, hypoglycemic, leukopenic and antifibrinogenic potential (AbouReidah et al., 2014; Shabir, 2012). The use of Rhus coriaria in homeopathic therapy and the potential of its extracts in the pharmaceutical industry is what makes Sumac fruits such a versatile food ingredient.

That being said, it’s quite possible that the soup Esau was begging for was actually a medicinal soup that he needed to cure some physical sickness he was fighting off. Without the benefits of today’s medicine, he would be reliant on herbal medicine to feel better. And if his sickness was serious, he may have been correct in saying that he wouldn’t need that birthright if he wasn’t alive!

Jacob’s nature was to leverage and lie to get what he wanted and it wouldn’t be out of character for him to withhold life-saving medicine in order to get what he wanted.

Turns out a bowl of his lentil soup and some bread was enough for Esau to feel better and carry on. It may be “just what the doctor orders” for you too when you aren’t feeling your best.

Jacob’s Red Sumac Lentil Stew

Based on the account of Esau selling his birthright to Jacob for some of the "red stuff", this soup gets its color from Sumac, a red berry known for its healing benefits for respiratory and digestive health. That might explain why Esau was willing to succumb to Jacob's blackmail…if he had the flu, this would have been his saving medicine.

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Calories 360 kcal

Ingredients

  

• 3 carrots roughly chopped
• 3 celery stalks roughly chopped
• 1 red onion diced
• 3 garlic cloves minced
• 2 TBS Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2 cups Lentils Red, Green, or Beluga will all work but each type will produce a different texture
• 8 cups broth chicken or vegetable
• 1/3 c ground sumac
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp dried parsley
• 1 bay leaf
• salt and pepper Beware that some chicken bouillion is already very salty, so taste before adding more salt
• 1 fresh cilantro bunch chopped for garnish

Instructions

 

• Heat 2 Tbs olive oil in soup pan and sautee diced onion till tender
• Add chopped carrots, celery, and minced garlic and saute until onions turn golden.
• Add lentils, broth, and spices to the pot and bring to a boil, then lower to simmer.
• If using an Instapot, use the soup setting, for 30 mins.

  If using a stove, simmer for about 2 hours, checking for tenderness every 30 minutes.
• Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve with your favorite crusty bread

Notes

This is a hearty soup full of protein and fiber that will satisfy your hunger for hours. Keep this recipe on hand for cold and flu season and you’ll be feeling better in no time.

TIP: make ahead and freeze in large cubes. Once the cubes are frozen you can transfer them to a freezer bag or Tupperware container. Pull out a couple of cubes of frozen soup when you are craving some healthy comfort food, pop them in the microwave or into a covered saucepan on your stove to reheat.