This carrot soup is lovely and simple. Sweet carrots and lentils are simmered into a thick and warming soup and a hint of chilli and cumin add background warmth. Great for using up any limp carrots lurking in the bottom of the fridge (I always seem to have a few) and equally good (perhaps better) with brand new sweet and crisp carrots.

As usual, I would reccommend making lots for dinner, lunchboxes, afternoon snacks and finally the freezer – if you’re going to make soup, you may as well make a big pot.

I blended this until chunkily smooth, but my mum (from whom I got recipe inspiration) simply simmers the soup for an age until the vegetables and lentils literally disintegrate. Try serving with a drizzle of olive oil, a dollop of yoghurt or a handful of shredded spinach for greenery.

Ingredients

serves 4

1 onion
2 cloves garlic
1 red chilli
4 medium carrots
-all roughly chopped
1tbsp cumin seeds
100g red lentils
1l vegetable stock

• Heat a large saucepan pan and add a knob of butter with a little oil to stop it burning.
• Add the onions, garlic, chilli and carrots and cook for 5 or so mins until softeneded.
• Add the cumin seeds and cook for a few mins more.
• Add the lentils and stir until coated in fragrant oil.
• Pour in the stock, bring to the boil and simmer for 30mins.
• If you want to, blend the soup until smooth.