Spicy lentil soup

Not really a soup, in that it ends up almost thick enough to eat with a fork, but very warming and absolutely delicious. My wife often tells people she married me because of this dish – it’s what I cooked for her when she and her climbing-partner Bruce came down off the mountain after their near-death experience. She says it made her go weak at the knees… Anyway, try it yourself and see if it has the same effect.

Soak 2 cupfuls of dried green lentils overnight, then cook them gently for about 40 minutes in simmering, salted water.

1 finely chopped onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

Handful chopped fresh coriander

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp chilli

1 tsp ras el hanout

1 tin chopped tomatoes

2 tbsps tomato puree

1 pint chicken or vegetable stock

Squeeze of lemon juice

Heat a little olive oil in a large pan (we use a heavy wok) and gently cook the onions and garlic with the spices for 7-8 mins

Add the cooked, drained lentils and cook with the spicy onion mixture for another 10 mins to allow the flavours to permeate the lentils

Add the tin of tomatoes and the puree

Add the stock. Turn the heat down, cover and allow to simmer for 15 minutes or until the stock has reduced by almost half

Add the coriander and lemon juice

Taste and adjust the spicing according to how hot you like your soup!

You can read how my wife and I met on her blog http://www.janejohnsonbooks.com/about/