Curried Red Lentil Soup

Ingredients for  4  Servings

• 1 tbsp

  Coconut or olive oil
• 1

  Large onion, chopped
• 2

  Garlic cloves, crushed
• 30g

  Fresh root ginger, peeled and grated
• 1

  Red Scotch bonnet chilli (or a milder red chilli if you prefer), seeds removed and finely chopped
• 2 tsp

  Garam masala or curry powder
• 25g

  Tomato purée
• 400g

  Tin of reduced-fat coconut milk
• 150g

  Red split lentils
• 2

  Sweet potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 2cm cubes
• 1

  Red pepper, seeds removed and cut into 2cm chunks
• 200g

  Baby leaf spinach
• Pinch

  Salt

Approximate Times

• Preparation :

  Less than 30 minutes
• Cooking :

  10 to 30 minutes

Method

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan, add the onion and fry gently for 5–6 minutes until soft. Add the garlic, ginger, chilli and garam masala, fry for 1 minute and then stir in the tomato purée. Fry for 1 minute then pour in the coconut milk and 1 litre/1¾ pints water. Stir in the lentils, sweet potato and pepper, bring to the boil and then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer.
2. Cover the pan with a lid and cook for 20 minutes until the lentils and sweet potato are soft, but still holding their shape. Stir in the spinach, a handful at a time, until wilted. Remove the pan from the heat and season with the salt. Serve in warmed bowls.