Egyptian Lentil Soup

Egyptian Lentil Soup

INGREDIENTS:

• olive oil spray
• 1 large onion, diced
• 3 celery ribs, diced
• 2 large carrots, diced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon ground hot chili
• 1/2 teaspoon hot curry powder
• 2 litres chicken or vegetable stock
• 1 450g can diced tomatoes
• 2 cups red lentils Salt and pepper to taste
• Greek yoghurt
• Lemon
• Chives
• Tin of chickpeas

DIRECTIONS:
 
Spray a light coat of olive oil into a large saucepan, and put it on a medium-high heat. Add the onions, celery, carrots, and garlic and saute until soft, about 10-15 minutes. Add the cumin, coriander, chili powder, and curry powder and stir to coat the veggies with the spices. Cook for a few minutes until the spices are aromatic. Add the tomatoes and the stock and bring to a simmer. Season generously with salt and pepper and add the lentils. Simmer for about 30-40 minutes, until lentils and vegetables are very soft.

In a few batches, puree the soup in a food processor until completely smooth. Transfer back to pot and season with salt and pepper to taste. If you like it a bit more spicy, you can add a little cayenne pepper and more black pepper.

To serve, here are some recommendations. I know it’s easy to skip the toppings in a recipe - but the combination of bits and pieces served with this soup elevate it from good to great. I promise it’s worth the extra work!

Mix some fresh lemon juice with some Greek yoghurt, and splash a dollop on top. Chop up some chives and sprinkle. And the piece de resistance is roasted chickpeas - just a tin of chickpeas, rinsed and dried, rolled in a bit of olive oil and the spices you’ve already used, and stuck in a really hot over til they’re crispy. Enjoy!