There are so many different types of soup – the ones made from all the left over vegetables from the bottom of the fridge or the carefully planned ones like Jerusalem artichoke (see June’s post) where you have to wait for the right season and then find the roots themselves. Then there are the the old favourites like lentil, split pea, chicken noodle and leek and potato, the chilled soups of summer like gazpacho and the meal-in-a-bowl soups like minestrone.
I’ve got into a habit on my non-working day of Wednesday of making soup in the winter. This week I thought I would try something different, and turned to Ottolenghi’s Simple for inspiration, picking out the curried lentil tomato and coconut soup. Since lentils are such a good staple to have in the cupboard – red lentils for soup, brown and black lentils for salads and puy lentils to cook with sausages for a warming winter meal – it also seemed like a good choice to use ingredients I already had to hand. I have a favourite way of making lentil soup with mushrooms and a spoon of sherry added at the end, so it was also good to try something different.
The lentils are cooked in tomatoes and coconut milk, with added spices, onion, garlic and ginger. As the soup cooked, the house was full of gorgeous smells, and the simmering pot of bright, red soup was a delight to behold. I had picked up some focaccia from Shelly Bay Baker to have with the soup, and finished the bowls off with a swirl of coconut milk and some fresh coriander.
Verdict: I put a fair bit of chilli in it, so the soup was quite spicy, which I guess is the idea! It was really good and will go on my ‘make again’ list. As the Mock Turtle sang in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, soup of the evening, beautiful soup. This well be entered in the What’s on Your Plate blog challenge hosted by Widow Badass and Retirement Reflections when it goes live. I’m just early!
Also entered into Natalie’s weekend coffee share.
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Thistles and Kiwis 
Winter is my time for soup too, broccoli, mushroom, chicken, lentil are on my list but I also love butternut with coconut milk or a more spicy butternut and roasted peppers. Such easy and tasty meals.
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Oh yes butternut squash soup is so good! Cauliflower soup is another one.
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Mmm… I tried a cauliflower soup but found it too bland. We prefer broccoli with Stilton.
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Oh yes that is good! I have made a curried cauliflower soup from a recipe from one of Gary Rhodes books that was good.
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Curried might be alright. We enjoy a spicy soup.
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Yum! Soup weather is fast approaching for us, but we are still in summer/heat wave season so I’ll have to return to your post in about 6 weeks. I’ve heard such good things about the Ottolenghi cookbooks. Maybe “Simple” is the one I should start with? Something about the title appeals…😉
Deb
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“Simple” is good – nothing too complicated but lots of tasty ideas. Well worth looking at!
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Thanks for the recommendation! I will look for it (after I move!).
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My father was fond of quoting “soup of the evening, beautiful soup” so I enjoyed encountering it here. His favourite was tomato, whereas I love lentil or butternut. My youngest granddaughter asked me to make ‘Granny’s special tomato soup’ when they visited several months ago – and of course her wish was granted.
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As a child, I was always given tomato soup from a tin after I had an upset stomach with little squares of toast. Fresh tomato soup though is quite different!
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Yum – That curried lentil soup sounds absolutely delicious. I already have all of the ingredients so will be making it soon. Hot weather or not! 😀
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It is really good and just different enough too, and so easy.
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I don’t cook with lentils enough. I think this soup sounds like a great place to start. As soon as it’s soup season!
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I would recommend it!
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Okay, I have to give this one a go. I eat soup most days for lunch at this time of the year and have to confess to being a tad bored with my usual. Thanks for the inspiration.
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Definitely worth trying!
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Lentil soup ! Looking tasty and healthy too. Thanks for sharing 🙂☺️
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Thank you for your weekend coffee share and the recipe. The soup looks beautiful, delicious and healthy. I made a note to make this when the weather gets cooler here.
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This sounds tasty and I do love a spicy soup!
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The soup photo is the reason I clicked into your post and after reading it, I am completely inspired to make lentil soup! While we are experiencing warm weather at the moment, I simply can’t say no after seeing how delicious and fun it would be to make this. Thank so much for sharing 🙂
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That soup looks really good. I might like it, but I’m not sure. I’m not a big fan of lentils or coconut milk though I’ll use them in recipes and do like them somewhat. No post for me this week. I just couldn’t get it together.
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This looks like a real souper bowl and I love the value added chill!
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🙂
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This sounds like a lovely, warming soup for a winters day – I shall search up the recipe. Thanks for sharing
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Delicious, healthy and beautiful too! I’m ready to find some new soup recipes too. Thank you for the inspiration!
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It was really good and perfect for a cold, winter’s day.
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Both your soup and bread look delectable! I have some green lentils in my larder; I wonder if it would work ….
I didn’t realise different lentils had different uses (duh …) until I read this post. I always just bought the colour that took my fancy on the shop (I typically just throw lentils into soups/stews for texture, so I never thought much about it)
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The red lentils break down more easily so good for soups. Try with what you have in your cupboard – I am sure it will be good!
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