I love this simple soup, which is somewhere between a dhal and a soup – it reminds me of the curry that is served in southern India with dosas. This soup is cleansing and clean, thanks to being spiked with turmeric and a lot of lemon. It’s what I crave if I’ve over-indulged or been around food too long (an occupational hazard – a very nice one).

Turmeric is a favourite spice of mine. If I am feeling off-colour I stir a teaspoon into hot water and sip it as a reviving tonic. I love the vibrant, deep saffron-gold colour, the clean, sharp, savoury acid note and the hard- to-put-your-finger-on flavour. It’s a real star on the health front, as it is an anti-inflammatory and has anti-carcinogenic properties. What a spice.

Serves 4-6

INGREDIENTS

a splash of olive or rapeseed oil

1 leek, washed, trimmed and finely sliced

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 teaspoons black mustard seeds

juice of 2–3 lemons

250g split red lentils

1 veg stock cube, or 1 tablespoon veg stock powder

4 handfuls of kale (or other greens), washed, trimmed and shredded

To serve (optional)

yoghurt, stirred with a little sea salt