Ingredients

1 onion a couple of medium sized carrots 1 green pepper 1 stick of celery 1 cup of red lentils 2 cloves of garlic 1 thumb sized chunk of fresh ginger half a red chili 1 tablespoon of toasted and ground cumin seeds, toasted ground coriander seeds, and tumeric powder 1 tin of plum tomatoes 1 pint of vegetable stock

Instructions

Toast your spices in a pan, remove and grind to a powder. Fry your oonion green pepper and celery until they start to soften. Add the garlic, ginger and chili and cook for a further 2 to 3 minutes. Add the spices and stir through. Add the carrots and lentils and stir through. Add the tinned tomatoes and half the stock Simmer for about 30 minites until the carrots are tender and the lentils are cooked adding more stock depending on the consistency you want the soup.

Notes

This soup is inspired by Marks and Spencer’s fantastic Spicy red lentil and tomato soup. This is the only vegan soup in M&S fresh soup line-up. After the soup has cooked you can bulk it out by adding things like cooked chick peas, butter beans steamed shredded cabbage. Celery, adds a savoury tang to lots of dishes like this when chopped up small even if, like me you don’t like celery. If you don’t have any of the spices mentioned it’s probably just as nice without.