Ward off the autumn chill, and expand you brood’s tastebuds, with this nourishing soup from Darina Allen’s latest book
Red lentil soup with turmeric, masala yogurt, toasted seeds & coriander
Serves 6
This soup was inspired by a soup I ate and loved at The Little Fox in Ennistymon in Co. Clare. I’m not sure how they made it, but here is my interpretation, which I love. It’s made in minutes, really sustaining and super-delicious.
Ingredients
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil or butter
225g onions, chopped
2 teaspoons peeled and grated
fresh turmeric root
225g orange lentils
flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1.2 litres vegetable or chicken stock
2 teaspoons pumpkin seeds
2 teaspoons sunflower seeds
1 teaspoon each of black and
white sesame seeds
a squeeze of lemon juice, to taste
fresh coriander leaves, to serve
For the masala yoghurt:
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
6 tablespoons natural yogurt
Method
Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a 22cm (3.3-litre) heavy basedsaucepan. Stir in the freshly chopped onion, then cover and sweat over a gentle heat for 5–10 minutes until soft but not coloured.
Add the grated fresh turmeric and cook for a minute or two before stirring in the lentils. Season generously with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Pour in the stock, bring back to the boil and simmer for 6–8 minutes until the lentils are soft.
Meanwhile, mix the pumpkin and sunflower seeds in a small bowl with the remaining 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil.
To make the masala yogurt, combine the cumin and coriander seeds in a mortar and grind to a fine powder. Stir into the natural yogurt in a bowl and season with salt, to taste.
Whizz the soup to a coarse puree in a blender or food processor. Taste and add a squeeze of lemon juice and some more salt and pepper, if needed.
Ladle the soup into wide soup bowls, drizzle some masala yogurt over the top and sprinkle with seeds. Scatter with fresh coriander leaves and serve as soon as possible.
One Pot Feeds All by Darina Allen, published by Kyle Books, is out now priced £20
