Spiced red lentil and carrot soup
May 19, 2011
It has only just dawned on me that you would not be silly for thinking I am Vegetarian.
In my first blog post, there were my cauliflower fritters and in the following, I confessed what an avid Brussel Sprouts lover I am. Here again, I find myself posting another great vego number. I am not vegetarian although I enjoy eating this way often. You might be craving a meat-ier recipe but I am so keen to share this next recipe with you! I have cooked it so much of late & I love it.
This is the soup that my Mother has always made for me as an adult whenever she thinks I have needed nourishment and nurturing. We have had this soup dropped off when each of our babies were born and whenever I have been bed ridden and in need of a Mother’s love. She often leaves the whole chilli in the soup which is always a breath taking surprise a few days later!
This soup makes me feel so ‘good’. This is big praise for food I think. Delicious & that you can feel it doing you ‘good’. Oh…and a little piece of advice – you just have to try the toasted bread with the goats cheese (with or without the soup). I have an avid affection for ‘Meredith Dairy’ fabulous goats cheese. I like to keep it in fairly large supply in our fridge & have been know to get the shakes if we go below 6 jars!
Therapy anyone?
Spiced red lentil and carrot soup
Serves 6
4 tablespoons of olive oil
2 onions, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
250g Persian Red lentils, washed and drained (my preferred brand is Mount zero)
1 long red chilli, split through the centre and bruised gently but left in one piece
2 tablespoons of tomato paste (optional)
2 teaspoons of ground coriander
2 teaspoons of ground cumin
1.5 litres of vegetable or chicken stock
Sea salt & freshly cracked black pepper
Natural yoghurt, olive oil and washed coriander leaves, to serve
Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot and celery and cook, stirring gently for 5-10 minutes. Add the red lentils, chilli, tomato paste,ground coriander, ground cumin and stir to combine. Cover with stock and bring to the boil. Turn heat down, season to taste, cover saucepan and simmer for 30-40 minutes.
Serve with a dollop of yoghurt and drizzled with olive oil and garnished with coriander.
In addition, I love to serve this (or any soup) with some thinly sliced olive bread,drizzled with olive oil and chargrilled. Whilst hot, I spread with a layer of ‘Meredith dairy’ goats cheese. If I have some caramelised onions in the fridge, some of these on top of ‘Meredith Dairy’ goats cheese is, well ‘heaven on a plate’ for me!
Click here for a lovely recipe for caramelising onions.
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2 thoughts on “Spiced red lentil and carrot soup”
Yum!! Have made this a few times Nellie- took it into work for dinner, and a few of the younger docs commented that it looked and smelled nice (after I’d finished- so they didn’t get a taste!!) so I’ve directed them to this blog 😉 I did puree it tho’ (in an attempt to try & convince my 8yo to taste it!) Delish!
I love this soup Helen – so glad you do too. You’ll have to try today’s post – the South American chocolate truffles. They are wicked but given the purity of the lentil soup, I think you might just earn yourself one or two! Enjoy!