SPICED LENTIL SOUP
With a good chicken stock at its base, you don’t need many ingredients to create a delicious soup. Red lentils, onion, garlic, tomato purée, and a few spices are all it takes to create this stunning winter warmer.
Servings
4
Servings
4
Ingredients
TO SERVE
Instructions
  1. Rinse the lentils under cold running water in a colander, drain well, and set aside.
  2. Heat the olive oil in a pan and add the onion and garlic. Sauté for 4–6 minutes until lightly golden. Stir in the ground spices and tomato purée and cook for another 2 minutes.
  3. Add the lentils and pour in the stock to cover. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 25–30 minutes, stirring every now and then, until the lentils are very soft. (You may need to top up with a little more water toward the end of cooking if the soup seems too thick.) Taste and adjust the seasoning.
  4. Ladle half of the soup into a blender and blend to a purée, then pour back into the pan. The soup should be somewhat chunky. Adjust the consistency again if necessary, adding a little boiling water to thin it down.
  5. Ladle the soup into warm bowls and top with a spoonful of yogurt and a few cilantro leaves.
HOW TO MAKE THE MOST OF HERBS
  1. Fresh herbs are a great way to add maximum flavor on a budget. Make them last longer by standing the stems in a glass of water. They’ll keep this way for up to 2 weeks in the fridge.