Spiced Carrot Soup

It sounds silly but I honestly love soup season. When it's cold outside and you've got a glut of root veg in your fridge, there's nothing better than turning it into a warm bowl of goodness. Spiced carrot is a classic but this one is a little different...

I use lentils to boost the texture and bulk it out. I use lemon juice at the end to cut through and provide a little freshness. And, most importantly, I crisp up garlic, ginger and curry leaves to sprinkle over the top for that all important texture and excitement in every bite.

Spiced Carrot Soup
Serves 6-8

oil

1 onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, chopped

10g fresh ginger, finely chopped

1 red chilli, chopped

2 tsp curry powder

2 tbsp tomato paste

750g carrots, chopped

100g red lentils, rinsed and drained

400g tin chopped tomatoes

1 litre vegetable or chicken stock

1 lemon, juice only

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the crispy topping:

oil

5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

4cm fresh ginger, cut into matchsticks

handful curry leaves

Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over a medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, ginger and chilli with a big pinch of salt and cook for 8-10 minutes until soft and caramelised. 

Add the curry powder and tomato paste and continue to cook for further 2 minutes. Stir in the carrots and lentils then pour over the tomatoes, stock and 1 litre of water. Season with salt and pepper and bring to the boil. Turn the heat to low, cover and simmer for around 40 minutes, until the carrots are tender.

Allow the soup to cool slightly then blend with a stick blender or using a food processor until smooth. Squeeze in the lemon juice, stir through and then adjust the seasoning as needed.

For the garnish, heat a little oil in a frying pan over a medium-heat. Add the garlic and ginger and stir fry for 2 minutes until lightly golden. Add the curry leaves for the last 30 seconds then tip the whole lot onto kitchen towel to drain.

Serve the soup warm with the crispy bits sprinkled on top.