Spiced Lentil and Carrot Soup

What does winter mean to you?

I sit and watch the wind whipping the last leaves off the trees. Two wet Magpies perch on chairs under the verandah, finding shelter from the rain and howling winds. My camera battery is flat and I miss this great photo opportunity.

Narcissus flowers poke their heads out of the soil, weaving and bobbing in the wind. And the beautiful Hellebores are a burst of colour in the otherwise grey garden. And in this rain their blossom will not last.

But I can sit in the warmth, watching nature carry on its tasks regardless of the weather and I can appreciate every little wondrous thing in my garden. 

This is my winter and I'm craving a bowl of thick soup, chunks of bread and cheese. Its days like today that tell me it's time to make a batch of Lentil and Carrot Soup - full of spices and flavour and the best thing for making the world seem a better place today.

SPICED LENTIL AND CARROT SOUP

Ingredients

600g carrots, washed and chopped

140g orange lentils washed

1litre of good vegetable stock

500ml of milk

1 1/2  tsps cumin seeds

big pinch of chilli flakes

2 tbls olive oil

salt and pepper

Dry fry the cumin seeds and chilli flakes. As soon as you start to smell the spices, take them off the heat and place them in a container to save for later. 

Don't worry about peeling the carrots, just give them a good scrub, top and tail them and cut into large chunks.

Add half the dry fried spices, carrots, lentils, oil, stock and milk into a large pan. Bring to the boil, partly cover and cook until the carrots are tender. This will take around 15 minutes.

Allow the soup to cool a little before using a food processor or a stick blender to puree the soup. Add the remainder of spices, salt and pepper.

The soup can be stored in the freezer for later use or be reheated for immediate use. If you find the soup is a little too thick, you can add a little more milk before reheating.

Serve with a dollop of plain yoghurt and a couple of pieces of crunchy bread.