Name: Red Lentil Soup
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 2 tbsp olive oil; 1 onion; 1 carrot; 3 cloves garlic; 2 tsp ground cumin; 1 tsp ground coriander; 1 tbsp tomato purée; 1 1/2 cups red split lentils; 1.2 l vegetable stock; 1 tsp salt; 2 tbsp lemon juice; to drizzle olive oil; a pinch chilli flakes

2 tbsp

1 Soften the aromatics 8m

2 Add and stir to coat 3m

3 Simmer until the lentils collapse 25m

4 Blend about half, leaving some texture, then finish with lemon 4m Half-blended is the sweet spot — body without baby food.

3 cloves

2 tsp

1 tsp

1 tbsp

1 1/2 cups

1.2 l

1 tsp

2 tbsp

to drizzle

a pinch

Why red lentils

Split red lentils have had their seed coat removed, so they cook in twenty-five minutes and break down completely — they thicken the soup as they go. Brown or green lentils hold their shape and take twice as long, which makes a different and thinner soup.

Notes

Rinse until the water runs clear. The dust that comes off makes the soup taste muddy.
Lemon at the end is not a garnish. Lentils are flat without acid.
It thickens to a paste in the fridge. Loosen with stock when reheating.

Method

Soften the aromatics

Add and stir to coat

Simmer until the lentils collapse

Blend about half, leaving some texture, then finish with lemon

Why red lentils

Notes