INGREDIENTS:
1 Tb olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced or finely chopped
1 medium carrot, finely chopped
1 tsp fresh ginger, finely grated
1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp ground cardamom
black pepper and salt to taste
1 cup orange lentils (also known as red lentils), picked over and rinsed - 1 cup = 250 ml
1 can (400g) whole plum tomatoes
1 can (400 g) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
6 cups (1.5 L) water plus 1 vegetable stock cube (or 6 cups ready-made vegetable stock)
1 Tb freshly squeezed lemon juice
1-2 tsp harissa paste
chopped fresh coriander or parsley to garnish
HOW TO MAKE IT:
Although orange (red) lentils cook fast, I like to save cooking time by soaking them for 20-30 minutes in water barely covering them.
Heat the oil in a large pot or casserole. Add the garlic and let it sizzle for a few seconds to infuse the oil, stirring constantly. Add the onion and carrot and cook for a few minutes to soften. Meanwhile, finely chop the tomatoes and keep aside (don't discard the liquid). Don't be tempted to use a blender to get the job done faster, the odd tomato chunk will make a beautiful colour contrast. Add the ginger and spices and stir to coat the vegetables well.
To continue cooking on the stovetop, add the lentils, chickpeas, tomatoes (plus the liquid) and water plus veggie cube (or the vegetable stock) and bring to a boil. Season with black pepper and salt.
Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer gently, uncovered for 40-45 minutes until the vegetables are soft and the lentils are mushy. If you prefer not to pre-soak the lentils, the soup will need additional cooking time.
If you notice that the soup thickens before the lentils are cooked through, you can either add more water or just cover the pot for the remaining time. Check the seasoning and adjust as needed.
Allow the soup to cool down until it no longer burns the mouth and add the lemon juice and harissa paste. This chili paste is really hot stuff, a little goes a long way, so start with 1 teaspoonful and see how you like it, then add more if you want. The harissa I found at a local supermarket was very mildly hot, so I ended up adding 4-5 teaspoonfuls to get that spicy edge.
