There's a crisp, cool breeze in the air these days and the leaves are starting to turn gorgeous colours. Autumn has arrived, and that means only one thing - it's time to make as many soups as humanly possible.
I have such a huge fondness for soup, and I love to eat it all year round. Even in summer, in the sweltering heat of Barcelona, my favourite meal of the holiday was an (admittedly chilled) tomato and garlic soup from a tapas restaurant. However, here in the UK, lentil soup is one of the most popular flavours and it's easy to understand why.
This hearty dish usually just requires a handful of ingredients, which you chop up and leave to simmer away before blending up and serving. However, over the years, I have made many a pot of lentil soup, and it can get pretty boring if you don't switch it up.
Now, I fully believe I've perfected my recipe thanks to the addition of one extra ingredient you've probably already got in your cupboards - curry paste.
This might be considered a bit of a lazy ingredient, but I'm all for it. They're amazing for quickly adding a punch of flavour to so many things, including soup.
I've made this recipe so many times this autumn already, and don't see myself stopping anytime soon. It's easily customisable, so although I used shallots, carrots, potatoes and leeks in mine, you can also substitute onions or celery, and sweet potatoes also work fantastically. Here's how you can make it at home.
Ingredients (serves four)
- Two shallots, finely diced
- Two carrots, finely diced
- One leek, washed and thinly sliced
- Three to four medium potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
- 175g red lentils, washed
- 1L vegetable or chicken stock
- Two tbsp curry paste
- Tsp turmeric, garam masala and chilli flakes (optional)
- Pinch of salt and pepper
- Chopped coriander, cream or olive oil for topping (also optional)
Method
Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large pan. Then, add your shallots and fry for a few minutes until they are nice and fragrant.
Then, add in your curry paste. You can use any variety depending on your preference, but I went with a tikka masala - staying true to my Scottish roots. Give it a good mix with the shallots until it's sizzling away.
Then, add the rest of your chopped vegetables and the lentils, making sure they have been thoroughly washed until the water runs clear. Give it another stir, then add the vegetable or chicken stock.
I like my soup really thick so I used a litre, but you can add another 500ml if you want to. You can also add a few extra seasonings at this point, such as garam masala, turmeric - for that anti-inflammatory goodness - and chilli flakes. Season lightly with salt, but don't go overboard as the curry paste is quite salty.
Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, stick the lid on and leave to cook for about 30-40 minutes, stirring regularly and adding more stock if it's required.
If you like a chunky soup, you can serve it up as is. But if you want it smoother, transfer the soup to a blender and blend until it's nice and lump-free.
Then, ladle it into your bowl, top with a swirl of cream, some coriander or extra olive oil, dunk in some buttered bread and enjoy.
You may also like
Twitch releases statement following Emiru's alleged assault at TwitchCon
Euston LIVE: 'Absolute carnage' as all lines near London station closed after 'emergency'
Guv Bhalla lauds Manipur Police for success against extremism, illegal poppy cultivation
Lewis Hamilton wish comes true as Ferrari ace 'proud' of breakthrough at United States GP
England defeat India to seal semifinal berth in Women's World Cup