Reading food blogs and magazines pretty much always gives me this huge burst of inspiration: “Oh yum, that sounds soooo good.” “I've got try that one!” “<y weekend treat, it’s this one here.” And then it’s the evening, time to make dinner, you’re super hungry as you walk to the fridge, and have no idea what to make. I've been there, we’ve been there, even though a part of my work is to create recipes!
I love comfort food because it keeps my tummy full and mood content. This has some Thai inspiration, though i’m 99% sure this is not a authentic Thai soup 🙂 that’s ok though, we can pretend we’re in Thailand on the beach sipping this hot red lentil soup… ok wake up! We’re not in Thailand… we’re not on a beach. The sudden onset of wind and rain means I’m wanting hot lunches again, after a summer of salads and a few sneaky peanut butter sandwiches. And what’s better than a delicious, flavourful vegan curried lentil soup?
What’s better than delicious homemade soup? Easy delicious homemade soup. actually, add “simple” to that, too. simple, easy, delicious homemade soup. That’s what we have right here! I love simple soup recipes like this one – especially when the complex flavour makes it taste like you used way more than the handful of ingredients you did. As much as I love a good noodle soup or minestrone style soup, creamy blended soups are my favourites! maybe it is because I’m lazy and would rather not have to chew my food, or maybe it is because you get every flavour of the soup in every single bite because they are all blended together.
As a big soup fan I am always on the search for healthy and tasty new soup recipes. I prefer hearty soups made from scratch that make you feel warm and cozy from the inside. I made up this recipe a few days ago as I didn’t want to leave the house and wanted to use up what I found in my fridge and pantry. That’s how this carrot lentil soup came together. Growing up in Singapore, red lentils are not known as a usual kitchen staple, but they truly have become a favourite of mine. They cook quickly, are super healthy and are a big protein source. Most importantly, my family likes them, too.
This soup makes a lovely warming meal on a cold day. I love its orange glow and the soft, smooth creaminess of the coconut milk. It packs a punch flavour-wise and totally hits the spot when you need a little warming from the inside out. It’s also rather quick to put together and only needs 15-20 minutes of simmering on the stove, which makes it a go-to on weeknights. I should also mention that it only improves with an overnight stint in the fridge (as most soups do) so it’s easy to make a batch ahead of time to eat throughout the week.
I was never even a fan of carrots and even less of carrots in soups. Sometimes I added grated carrots to borsch, sometimes to chili or minestrone. I had an occasional snack that included carrots like spring rolls or cashew carrot bites. But it all has changed after I tried roasted carrots. No comparison with cooked or raw carrots at all! Roasting carrots brings out the sweetness and that’s probably the best thing about it. Roasting makes carrots caramelised and crunchy from outside while being creamy but not soapy from the inside. It’s almost a pity to pulse them in a blender to make the soup. But wait a moment. Caramelised flavour stays!
It’s easy to overlook carrots when you’re staring at all the beautiful fall produce. For the longest time, I viewed carrots as things I used for dip or had as a snack. Not only do the carrots work perfectly in this soup because they are the same bright orange colour, but they are also sweet and pair perfectly with the curry.
The addition of the red lentils also helps to reinforce the beautiful orange colour of this soup, but in addition they are nice because they are really quick cooking and kind of start to fall apart once they are added, which is perfect for the texture once you blend it together. They are also really pretty to look at when they are dry, which is a huge plus. It’s creamy, it’s a bit spicy and thanks to the addition of red split lentils, very filling. It makes a great cold weather dinner and lends itself well to making a big batch in advance and not having to worry about dinner for about a week.
IF YOU EVER GIVE THIS RECIPE A TRY, DO LEAVE A COMMENT BELOW AND/OR TAG @FRUITYEMZ AND HASHTAG #FRUITYEMZ ON YOUR INSTAGRAM POST! 🙂
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