Serves: 6-8

This soup originated from a woman who lived in a little village on the Nile; it is in Claudia Roden’s latest book Med and it is wonderful. The cooked down lentils bring a creaminess to the soup, the spices bring a warmth and it’s finished off with the sharp sweetness of the caramelised onions.

I thought the lentils would take ages to cook down but they don’t. It can be an easy, healthy, delicious weeknight meal.

Ingredients

1 large onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped
5 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 cup of dried red lentils
2 litres vegetable stock
2 tsp ground cumin
1 1/2 tsp ground coriander
Pinch of chilli
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt and Pepper to taste

Ingredients- caramelised onions

3 large onions, sliced
Splash of balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp brown sugar

Method

1. Soften the onions, carrots and garlic in olive oil in a large pan on low heat for about 10 mins.
2. Add the lentils and stock and bring to the boil and then simmer for 40mins, until the lentils have disintegrated. As foam appears on the top skim it off.
3. Meanwhile cooked the caramelised onions in a pan on low heat with a bit of olive oil, balsamic vinegar and brown sugar until dark and soft, about 30-40mins.
4. Stir in the cumin, coriander, chilli and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. If the soup needs thinning add a bit of water, it shouldn’t be too thick.
6. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with caramelised onions.