Carrot, ginger and lentil soup with carrot crisps

In celebration of #VegetarianAwarenessMonth this October, we are sharing some of our most-hearted veggie friendly recipes with you! First up, from The Part-Time Vegetarian’s Year, this Autumn appropriate hug-in-a-bowl carrot, ginger and lentil soup.

Carrot, ginger and lentil soup with carrot crisps taken from The Part-Time Vegetarian’s Year.

Warming and comforting, a bowl of this hearty, nutritious soup is a go-to when the weather is chilly and I’m looking for sustenance. The carrot crisps are a great way to use up carrot peelings. When roasted, they add crunch and a contrast in texture to the smooth soup – they also make a healthy snack.

Serves 4
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

550g/1lb 4oz carrots, scrubbed

2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for drizzling

1 large onion, roughly chopped

1 celery stalk, thinly sliced

2 tsp ground coriander

Half-tsp ground turmeric

1 thumb-size piece of fresh root

ginger, peeled and finely grated

175g/6oz/1 cup split red lentils, rinsed well

2 bay leaves

1.2 litres/40fl oz/5 cups good-quality hot vegetable stock

juice of half a lemon

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 tbsp thick plain yogurt and

Half-tsp nigella seeds, to serve

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas 4.
2. Start by making the carrot crisps. Using a vegetable peeler, peel away the skin of the carrots into long, thin strips. Toss the carrot strips in a drizzle of oil and place in an even layer on a large baking sheet. Roast for 15 minutes or until crisp and golden, turning once – keep an eye on them as they can easily burn. Remove from the heat, transfer to a plate lined with paper towels and leave to cool and crisp up further.
3. Meanwhile, cut the peeled carrots into chunks. Heat the oil in a large heavy-based saucepan over a medium low heat, add the onion and cook for 5 minutes, until softened. Add the celery and carrots and cook for another 2 minutes. Stir in the spices followed by the lentils and bay leaves, then pour in the stock. Stir and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to low, part-cover the pan with a lid and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the lentils and carrots are tender.
4. Using a hand-held stick/immersion blender, blend the soup until smooth. Stir in the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper, to taste.
5. Ladle the soup into bowls, then top with a good spoonful of yogurt, a few nigella seeds and the carrot crisps.

Why not give vegetarianism a go this month? Check out this post for some inspiration!

Don’t forget to tag @nourishbooks on social media when you post your version of this delicious meal. Happy eating!