Spiced Apple and Lentil Soup with Tamari-Glazed Chickpeas
This soup is a great winter warmer. It’s creamy, filling and flavoured with warming spices. Topped with tamari-glazed chickpeas and seeds, and accompanied by a slice or two of wholegrain bread, this soup is substantial enough to serve as a main evening meal. It also makes a delicious, nutrient-rich lunch option. Pack into a wide-necked flask for a warming lunch ‘on the go’.
Ingredients
- 1 TBSP olive oil
- 1 large onion chopped
- 2 medium carrots halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
- 3 celery stalks trimmed and sliced
- 1 large apple cored and chopped
- 2 tsp minced garlic
- 2 tsp garam masala
- 1 litre vegetable stock (broth) (I use boiling water and 4 tsp vegetable bouillon powder)
- 130 g / ⅔ cup red lentils
- 70 g (about ⅓ of a 200g / 7 oz block) of creamed coconut roughly chopped
- salt to taste
Toppings
- 400 g / 14 oz can chickpeas rinsed and drained
- 2 TBSP pumpkin seeds
- 2 TBSP sunflower seeds
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1 tsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ½ TBSP tamari soy sauce
Instructions
- Gently heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the onion, carrot, celery and apple to the pan. Stir through, cover with a lid and leave to cook on medium-low heat for 4 minutes.
- Meanwhile, place the lentils in a fine mesh sieve and wash under cold running water, agitating them with your hand until the water runs clear.
- Add the garlic and garam masala to the saucepan, and continue cooking for 2 minutes.
- Add the vegetable stock, lentils and creamed coconut to the pan. Bring to the boil then reduce the heat, cover with a lid, and simmer for 20 minutes.
- When the lentils are tender, remove the pan from the heat. Leave to cool for a few minutes then transfer to a jug blender and whizz until smooth. Depending on the size of your blender, you may need to do this in two batches. Return the soup to the pan and gently heat through before serving. Season with salt, to taste.
- For the toppings: Heat the chickpeas and seeds in a large frying pan (skillet) on medium heat. Drizzle in the olive oil and stir through. Add the maple syrup and oregano and stir through. Finally add the soy sauce and continue cooking until the liquids have evaporated, stirring regularly.
- This soup will keep for up to five days in the fridge. I haven’t tried it yet, but I’m pretty confident that it will freeze well too.