Multiple ingredient substitutions in soup recipe

Amateur1

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I would like to try this soup recipe.
https://www.occasionallyeggs.com/carrot-red-lentil-spinach-soup/
However, I don't want to buy fresh ginger as it will go to waste. Therefore, I plan to use ground ginger.

How much ground ginger should I use in this recipe?
The recipe says 5-6 medium carrots. I don't know a medium from a large carrot. How much do 5-6 medium carrots weigh?
If I buy lemon juice, how much does the juice of half a lemon weigh?
How would I know if the brand of tomatoes I'm using is very acidic. I just plan to buy a tin of tomatoes from the UK supermarket.

INGREDIENTS​

  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 1/2 red onion, chopped
  • 5-6 medium carrots, about 3 cups, cut into 1cm (3/4 in.) slices
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 cm piece fresh ginger, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (to taste)
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt (to taste)
  • 400 grams (13.5 oz.) canned diced tomatoes
  • 1.5 litres (6 cups) vegetable stock
  • 150 grams (1 cup) red lentils
  • 150 grams (1 cup) frozen spinach**
  • Juice of 1/2 a lemon
  • Brown rice, to serve

INSTRUCTIONS​

  1. In a large pot, heat the oil over medium. Add the onion and sauté for a couple of minutes or until soft and fragrant. Stir in the carrots, and cook for another minute or two.
  2. Add the garlic, ginger, and spices, stirring to coat the vegetables. Now add the salt and tomatoes, stir, and pour the vegetable stock in.
  3. Increase the heat to high, cover the pot, and bring the soup to a rolling boil. Add the lentils and reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 20-25 minutes, covered, or until the carrots are tender.
  4. Stir in the spinach and turn off the heat, letting the hot soup thaw the spinach with the lid on. Add the lemon juice, taste, and season with salt if necessary.
  5. Serve over brown rice and store leftovers in the refrigerator or freezer.

NOTES​


** If you want to use fresh spinach, go for about 100g and remove any larger stems.
• Using the heat from the soup to thaw the spinach has two purposes - it brings the soup down to an edible temperature, and it keeps the nutrients of the spinach largely intact. And the colour stays nice and green!
• Sometimes I don't add the lemon - if the brand of tomatoes you're using is very acidic, you might want to leave the lemon out.
 
can you get ginger paste? I'd guesstimate 2 tablespoons / 30 ml
looks like: Gourmet Garden™ Ginger Stir-In Paste

sliced carrots = 120g per cup

small lemon = 45 ml
medium lemon = 60 m;
large lemon = 90 ml

most canned tomatoes tend to the more acid side, so I'd go light on the lemon juice.
 
I saw some frozen minced ginger. Should I just measure out 3cm?
 
Wow - what a dilemma!:happy: the soup looks delicious, so here´s what I´d do.
Buy your ginger. You can grate what´s left over, and freze it if you want; although I´ve had fresh ginger in my fridge for over 2 months and it´s fine.
"About 3 cups" is probably around 500 gms of grated carrot. However, don´t get stressed out about it. If there´s a bit more carrot than you like, it doesn´t matter.When you get to taste your soup, you are the judge, so you can decide if, for the next time, you put MORE or LESS carrot in it.
Buy a real lemon, not ready-made lemon juice. You won´t regret it, and if there´s lemon left over, make lemonade, or squeeze it into a tequila! The freshness counts - but I mean, it REALLY counts for the flavour.
You cannot judge whether your tinned tomatoes will be acidic or not. So don´t fret; just buy your usual brand and, if you think the soup is too acidic, add some sugar. As simple as that.
When I make a new recipe, I always follow the instructions exactly. As the dish is cooking, I taste, taste and taste. Watch the good chefs on TV - they will taste at every opportunity. By tasting, you´ll be able to say " it´s ok - but lacks salt" , or " it´s a bit bland - needs more chile" or " it´s a bit too acidic - I need to add a touch of sugar".
Another tip is to write down the original recipe somewhere ( I´ve got 6 notebooks full of recipes!) and make notes at the end, when you actually try the dish. Could be " too salty" or " cook for 30 minutes, not 25", etc. Sometimes it works out perfectly the first time, sometimes it doesn´t. No big deal - keep trying.
 
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