Red Lentil, Chilli and Chickpea Soup

Today it's another staple from my student days, lentils!  Cheap as chips and healthy too with a hefty chilli kick and a crunch from the coriander and chickpeas. 

Ingredients

2 tsp cumin seeds

A large pinch chilli flakes

1 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, chopped

140g red split lentils

850ml vegetable stock

400g can tomatoes, chopped

200g carton chickpeas or ½ a can, rinsed

Small bunch coriander, roughly chopped (plus a few leaves for garnish)

4 tbsp natural yogurt, to serve.

Method

Heat a large saucepan and dry-fry the cumin seeds and chilli flakes for 1 min, or until they start to jump around the pan and release their aromas. Add the oil and onion, and cook for 5 mins. Stir in the lentils, stock and tomatoes, then bring to the boil. Simmer for 15 mins until the lentils have softened.

Whizz the soup with a stick blender until it is smooth and add the chickpeas. Heat gently, season well and stir in the coriander ad yoghurt. Finish with a cheffy swirl of yogurt and coriander leaves.  I like it with some chapati or naan bread.