Red Lentils with Coconut, Carrot, and Lemon

Instructions

1. 1

   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.

   
2. 2

   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.

   
3. 3

   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.

   
4. 4

   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.

   
5. 5

   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.