Spiced Butternut & Red Lentil Soup

• 4garlic cloves, minced
• 1large onion, diced
• 20 gfresh ginger, grated
• 1 tspground cumin
• 1 tspturmeric
• ½ tspchilli flakes
• 2 tbspvegetable oil
• 1 tspground coriander
• 200 gred lentils, rinsed
• 700 gpeeled and deseeded butternut squash flesh, diced
• Fine salt, to taste
• 1 x 400mltin coconut milk
• 800 mlvegetable stock
• 30 mllime juice
• 2carrots, finely diced
• 40 gtoasted pumpkin seeds, optional (optional)
• 150 gfull-fat Greek yoghurt (optional)
• 4naan breads, about 100 g each, optional (optional)
• 4 tbspmango chutney, optional (optional)
• 1 tspchilli oil, optional (optional)
• Black pepper, to taste

Method

1. 1Heat the oil in a heavy pot over medium heat. Add the onion with a good pinch of salt and cook for 7–8 minutes until softened, golden at the edges and sweet-smelling. Stir regularly so the onion softens without scorching.
2. 2Stir in the garlic and ginger and cook for 30 seconds, just until fragrant.
3. 3Add the cumin, coriander, turmeric and chilli flakes and fry them in the oil for 45–60 seconds, stirring constantly. The kitchen should smell warm and toasty.
4. 4Tip in the butternut squash and carrot and stir to coat in the spice paste. Cook for 3 minutes so the edges take on a little colour and pick up the spice.
5. 5Add the rinsed red lentils, coconut milk and vegetable stock. Stir well, scraping anything stuck on the base into the liquid, and bring up to the boil.
6. 6Drop to a gentle simmer and cook for 20–25 minutes, stirring now and then, until the squash collapses when pressed against the side of the pan and the lentils have surrendered into the broth.
7. 7Blitz with a stick blender until completely smooth and silky. Loosen with a splash of hot water if it feels too thick; it should coat the back of a spoon, not sit on it.
8. 8Stir in the lime juice off the heat, then season generously with salt and plenty of black pepper. Taste; it should be warming, sweet from the squash, and lifted by the citrus.
9. 9Serve the smooth soup with any of the optional toasted pumpkin seeds, chilli oil, Greek yoghurt, warmed naan and mango chutney if using.

Per serving

kcal

562

protein

18.6g

fibre

11.8g

carbs

65.1g

fat

28.8g