A warming, nutritious soup made using store cupboard ingredients, that will keep the winter blues at bay. What more could you want on a cold winters day?
1 ½cupswinter veg*(diced small, i.e. 3 medium carrots or 1 whole leek etc)
3large cloves garlic(crushed)
2teaspoonscumin
1½teaspoonscoriander
½teaspoonturmeric
½teaspoonblack pepper
1small pinch chilli flakes
½teaspoonthyme
1tin green or brown lentils(drained)
1tin 400g chopped tomatoes
1litre hot vegetable stock
3savoy cabbage leaves(tough stalks removed and cut up small or 2 large handfuls fresh spinach or kale)
Juice of half a lime
Salt to taste
Instructions
Heat the oil in a large pan over a medium heat. Add the onion and the winter veg and cook, stirring occasionally and taking care that it doesn’t brown, until the onion is translucent and the veg have begun to soften, 5-7 minutes
Add the garlic and the five spices and cook, stirring, for a minute or so.
Add the thyme, lentils, tomatoes and stock. Stir, cover and bring to the boil then leave to simmer for 30 minutes, stirring once or twice.
Now add the cabbage leaves or spinach and allow to cook. The spinach will only take one minute, the cabbage and kale will take around 5-6 minutes.
Taste, add the lime juice and adjust the seasoning to your liking.
Serve with a grating of parmesan on top, or with fresh bread and a chunk of cheese.
Notes
*You can use pretty much any winter veg – parsnip, carrot, leek, swede, etc.