A light and delicious yet satisfying lentil soup recipe for you is here! I am a huge a soup lover, and particularly while fasting. I like having this hot bowl of soup with a salad on the side; these together keep me full and satisfied for the evening.

Lentil soup is a staple dish in the Middle East because with the small amount of lentils you use you are getting an incredible amount of protein and iron but also a mouthful of yummy goodness. It’s made with the same lentils that Southeast Asians use for “dhaal” but made without any blending, so the lentils remain in their shape.

I’ve made mine with carrots as well as shallots because it brings out the flavour of the spices really well and makes the soup taste heavenly. The carrot and onion give the soup just that little bit of sweetness complimenting the dried coriander and cumin perfectly.

This soup doesn’t take long to make and requires a few easy-to-lay-your-hands-on ingredients so when you’re craving a bowl of heart-warming soup, you know it’s fairly quick to cook up.

Ingredients: 

1 tbsp coconut oil

2 shallots, diced

1 clove of garlic, minced

2 cups of red lentils

8 cups of vegetable stock (I use Kallo)

1 carrot, grated or finely sliced

1 tsp turmeric

1 1/2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp dried coriander

1 tsp black pepper

1 tsp chilli flakes (optional)

Coconut yoghurt (optional)

Himalayan salt, to taste

Method: 

Rinse the lentils very well making sure they’re completely clean of any dust or debris. Then soak them for at least 20 minutes; I soaked mine for 1 hour.

Heat the coconut oil up in a large pot over medium heat and cook the shallots and garlic for 5 minutes until transparent and golden. Add in the turmeric, dried coriander, cumin and allow to cook for another 5 minutes.

Stir in the soaked lentils and cover with 3 cups of boiled water. Then add in the vegetable stock, carrot, and water; cook for 15-20 minutes at high heat then put the heat down to low for another 20 minutes. Blend the soup to the consistency that you like.Season with himalayan salt and pepper. Serve with coconut yoghurt and enjoy!