Green Lentil Soup with Curried Brown Butter

Name: Green Lentil Soup with Curried Brown Butter
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 50 min
Cuisine: Asian, Indian
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, ghee, or extra-virgin coconut oil; 1 large yellow onion, chopped; 3 cloves garlic, chopped; 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes; 5 1/2 cups / 1.3 liters good-tasting vegetable broth or water; 1 1/2 cups / 10.5 oz / 300 g green lentils or green split peas, picked over and rinsed; 3 tablespoons unsalted butter; 1 tablespoon Indian curry powder; 1/2 cup / 125 ml coconut milk; Fine-grain sea salt; 1 bunch fresh chives, minced; small cubes of pan-fried paneer (optional)