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Carrot, Red Lentil + Cardamom Soup

20th November 2016

Health Nutrition

20th November 2016

By Shivraj Bassi

This warming dish was created by the hugely talented and inspiring Nicky Clinch, and is the kind of meal that leaves you feeling warm and comforted for hours afterwards. In macrobiotics, spices are all about stimulating and warming our hearts. Turmeric is an amazing anti-inflammatory and incredibly healing spice; cardamom is deeply warming and adding the vibrancy and aromatic flavour of the fennel seeds leads to a soup that is a full-on healing and warming experience.

Recipe

Preparation: 10 minutes 
Cooking: 35 minutes

Ingredients / Serves 4:

  • 700g Carrots (4 med/large)
  • 150g Red Lentils
  • 2 White Onions
  • 2 Large Garlic Cloves
  • 1 Tsp Turmeric
  • 1 Tsp Cardamom
  • 0.5 tsp Fennel Seeds, finely ground
  • 4 Pinches Sea Salt
  • 500-600ml Vegetable Stock

Toppings:

  • Oat Cream
  • Crushed Red Peppercorns
  • Crushed Coriander Seeds
  • Fennel Fir
  • Finely Ground Fennel Seeds

Method:

  • Step 1: Finely mince onions and slice garlic.
  • Step 2: Heat up organic sesame oil, olive oil or ghee in a soup pot and fry onions with a good pinch of sea salt on medium heat until they turn translucent.
  • Step 3: Once they are starting to sweat, add the garlic and fry for another 2mins – mixing well to make sure the garlic doesn’t burn.
  • Step 4: Add peeled and finely sliced carrots with another good pinch of sea salt. Mix well and turn heat down low and leave to sweat for 7-10mins or until they are softening and their natural juices are coming out.
  • Step 5: Now add ground cardamom, turmeric powder and finely ground fennel seeds and toast for a few mins.
  • Step 6: Add red lentils and mix in well for another mine or so then add vegetable stock (or water and a stock cube) and let the soup simmer on low for another 10mins or until lentils and veg are lovely and soft.
  • Step 7: The lentils may soak up all the liquid so add more stock if needed.
  • Step 8: Once everything is soft and cooked, blend until creamy. Get it back on a low heat and season with 2-3 pinches sea salt and 2-3 grinds black pepper.
  • Step 9: Serve with a lovely swirl of oat cream, fresh fennel fir, crushed red peppercorns, crushed coriander seeds and sprinkle of finely ground fennel seeds.

To find out more about Nicky, swing by the Be section of our Blog to read her Q&A with Innermost. To see more of Nicky's amazing recipes, visit her website (www.nickyclinch.com) or her Instagram profile (@nicky_clinch).

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