Lentil & Tomato Soup with Ginger & Kale

A bit of a Adre’s Kitchen legend, this soup is something between a hug and a cure. It was one of the first soups on my delivery menu and bestseller for almost 3 year. When I feel a bit run down and I crave spice, this is my go to soup. In winter I up the spices & ginger for extra protection agains colds and in summer I use fresh tomatoes and lots of kale.

NOW I am renowned for ‘pimping up my soups’ with all sorts of things, taking the humble bowl into something more substantial. My topping suggestions would be: some fresh chilli, sliced lemons, toasted pitta breads and some spring onions.

A winner as its nourishing, full of gentle warming spices and fibre and freezes well.

Makes about 1.5 litres soups

Serves 4

• 2 tablespoons coconut oil or olive oil
• 1 large onion diced
• 1 can 400g chopped tomatoes
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 tablespoons ginger, grated
• 1 cup (140g) red lentils
• 2 cups shredded & washed kale
• 1 litre veggie stock (maybe a bit more)
• chopped coriander (opt)
• salt & pepper

Spice Mix

• 2 teaspoons ground turmeric
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon smoked sweet paprika
• 4 pods cardamon smashed and seeds removed

1. Add oil to a medium pot, add the onions and sweat till soft (see notes on sweating onions)
2. Add the spices, garlic and ginger and gently fry till fragrant
3. Add the tomatoes, red lentils and vegetable stock and gently simmer until the lentils are soft.
4. Take the pot off the heat and add the shredded kale and stir through.
5. Once the kale has wilted, season to taste by adding more ginger, salt and pepper
6. Add chopped coriander if using
7. The soup will thicken as it sits and you have free reigns here on how ‘hearty’ you want your soup, add some more stock if you feel its on the thick side.

• Sweating onions is a valuable skill – read more on this here
• I have jars of ready spice mixes in my kitchen, I will toast the spices above together till fragrant in a dry pan over a medium heat, once cooled, I will bottle these as ‘Red Lentil Soup Mix’. This is super handy when I am making the soup next or adding a tablespoon to any curries, rice pilafs or dahls.

It’s been a very exciting but busy week in the AK HQ as the business is growing. This Soup is somewhere between a soup and a Dhal but feels as light as a feather to eat.

It is fair to say I love my greens and as an avid eater of greens it is not often that I come across a green I don’t know. I was browsing through Wild Organics weekly menu when Lambs Quarters caught my eye. It looks somewhere between a nettle and any other weed so naturally I was intrigued. It has a fresh natural taste which I like, the texture and feel of the leaf is not of a foraged green, it is a bit more dainty and elegant. Strange name – I admit! You can just imagine what comes up when I wanted to know more about this foraged green.

(Food Memory: first published on the 1 June 2017)