Known and used for thousands of years in Middle East cuisine and increasingly popular in Europe, red lentils are a legume with a unique flavour that cook much faster than other types of lentils and do not need to be soaked before cooking. Red lentils make a delicious ingredient in thick, filling, spicy soups.
Ingredients
- 150 g red lentils
- 750 ml soup stock
- 70 g tomato puree (1 small can)
- 1 medium potato
- 1 red onion
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- The juice of half a lemon
- Half a bunch cilantro
- Green peppercorns
- Olive oil
- A little paprika
- Toast for serving
Preparation
Chop the onion and sauté in olive oil until translucent. In the meantime, peel and dice the potatoes. When the onion is soft, sprinkle in the curry powder and turmeric and sauté for a minute or two, stirring continuously to prevent burning.
Sprinkle with a little red pepper, spoon in the tomato paste, add the lentils and potatoes, pour in the soup stock, season with salt and pepper and simmer until the potatoes turn tender.
When the soup is almost done, add the cilantro, simmer a few minutes more and then puree with a hand blender. It’s okay if the lentils are not entirely soft. Whisk in the lemon juice and turn off the heat. Serve with toast.