Lentil soup with spinach

A filling and tasty lentil recipe that we make all the time.

Ten years ago my friend (who never used to cook) sent me this recipe for lentil soup. I had possibly never eaten lentils before and I wanted to be open minded because my friend was so excited about the soup. I'm glad I believed her!

We have been making this soup regularly and I have shared it with almost everyone I know who likes cooking. It's easy even if it looks like it has many ingredients and steps, and it's also healthy and filling.

Our favourite lentil soup 

(2-3 portions)
200 ml red lentils + 1 l water
2 onions, chopped
1 big garlic clove, minced
1-2 tbsp oil for frying
1 small piece of whole cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground white pepper
1 bay leaf
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp paprika powder
1 tsp curry powder
1 tin chopped tomatoes
150 g frozen or fresh spinach
Parsley
Lemon

Measure and cleanse the lentils by picking out grime, then rinse them well. Boil the lentils for 20-30 minutes in one litre of water with the lid on – they should boil to a mush.

While the lentils are boiling you measure up the spices in a small cup or bowl. Heat the oil in a pan big enough to fit the tinned tomato. Fry onion and garlic just until the onion gets some colour. Add spices and stir rapidly; the spices stick and burn on to the bottom of the pan. Add the chopped tomatoes. Let the mixture cook for about 15 minutes. Then add in your spinach and take the pan of the heat.

Tip the tomatos into the pot of lentils, possibly add some salt and also parsley– the more the better!

Serve with a juicy slice of lemon so each diner can squeeze some in their soup. This also reduces the need for salt.