Instructions
Follow the steps and taste along the way.
Prepare the vegetables
Finely chop the onion. Dice the carrot into pieces about 5 mm in size. Finely chop the garlic and ginger. Rinse the lentils in a sieve under cold water.
Toast the spices
Heat the oil over medium heat in a pot with a capacity of at least 2.5 l. Add the onion and carrot and cook for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the garlic, ginger, curry powder, and cumin; cook for another 30 seconds, until fragrant but not burnt.
Cook the lentils
Add the rinsed lentils and 900 ml of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered for 17–19 minutes. Stir once or twice; the lentils should soften and begin to break down, while the carrot should remain in pieces.
Mellow the soup with coconut milk
Stir in the coconut milk and salt. Let the soup simmer gently for 3 minutes. Press down on it two or three times with a potato masher to thicken it, while leaving pieces of carrot intact.
Finish with lemon
Remove the pot from the heat and stir in 25 ml of lemon juice. Taste the soup: it should be gently salty and spiced, with a bright, fresh tang. Serve hot.
