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Lemony lentil and crispy kale soup

Lemony lentil kale soup

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.

Duration
45 mins
Difficulty
Easy
Serves
4-6
Lemony lentil kale soup

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)

  • vegan yoghurt
  • sea salt
  1. To make the soup

    Get a large pan on the heat. Add a little oil and turn the heat to medium. Add the leek and fry for a few minutes, until it has softened and smells sweet, then add the spices and fry for another couple of minutes. Squeeze in the juice of 1 lemon and stir around to lift all the spices from the bottom of the pan.

  2. Next, add the lentils, 1.5 litres of water and the stock cube or powder and allow to bubble away for 20–35 minutes, until the lentils are cooked and the soup has thickened.

  3. Turn off the heat and, if you like, you can blitz the whole lot to a thin dhal consistency, then squeeze in the juice of the remaining 2 lemons, tasting as you go to make sure it doesn’t get too lemony. It may seem like a lot, but you really want the lemony tang to come through.

  4. Before serving

    Just before you’re ready to serve, sauté the kale in a little olive oil until it slightly softens but begins to crisp at the edges.

  5. To serve

    Ladle into bowls and top with the salted yoghurt and the crispy kale

Additional information

Storage

Store
In airtight container in fridge for up to 3 days
Freeze
Up to 2 months

As featured in

Anna jones a modern way to eat book cover

A Modern Way to Eat

"Packed full of delicious, healthy recipes that are quick and easy to make, A Modern Way To Eat is a totally modern take on vegetarian cooking." With over 200 recipes that are as simple to make as they are nourishing, satisfying and truly tasty. Based on how Anna likes to cook and eat every day.

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