The spring is slowly but surely coming to Spain and although the days are gloriously warm and pleasant, the evenings can still be chilly. And what can be better to warm you up on a cold evening than a delicious bowl of soup? Well, one thing can… a bowl of curried soup (actually, I can think of a couple more things, but let’s not get into that here :D)
I absolutely love all things curry and Thai cuisine is one of my favourites. I remember my first encounter with Thai cooking about 15 years ago, my boss lent me a book on Thai cooking (the name or the author of which I cannot for the life of me remember) and the first thing I tried was a red curry. I thought that was the most amazing meal ever… All the spices, coconut milk, cilantro, the hint of sweetness and the wonderful way in which it all comes together… Heaven! Since then I have made countless variations and I think it is a love affair for life.
A red veggie curry is really quick to prepare, very versatile as you can use almost any vegetables you like or have in your fridge at that moment and it is filling and comforting. Not to talk about deeeelicious…
This soup is creamy and nourishing, and packed with some serious goodness. Lentils to start with. Apart from being really yummy, these little powerhouses of nutrition have many benefits for our health – their high levels of fibre help lower cholesterol, they contribute to heart and digestive health, stabilize blood sugar and contain a high level of protein. Pumpkin and carrots next. Full of anti-oxidants and beta-carotene helping protect us against heart disease and helping to keep our vision tip-top. And did you know that a cup of cooked pumpkin has more potassium than the same amount of bananas? Perfect after a good workout to refuel and help with muscle recovery…
I chose to blend all of my soup, but you could leave it chunky or just blend half and then mix together, so it is velvety creamy but still has some chunks to bite into. Garnish with a swirl of coconut milk, chopped cilantro and lightly toasted almonds and you can accompany it with some naan or rice. Eating it under a blanket in front of your fireplace optional, but highly recommended 🙂
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 2 tablespoons red curry paste (I like the Aroy-D brand)
- 1 red onion, chopped
- 1 large potato, peeled and cubed
- 2 cups pumpkin, peeled and cubed
- 1 cup carrots, chopped
- 1/2 cup red lentils (dry)
- 2 1/2 cups coconut milk (600 ml)
- 1 cup water
- 1 teaspoon mild curry powder
- 1/2 teaspoon hot curry powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon ginger powder
- 1 tablespoon honey/sugar
- cilantro
- sliced or chopped almonds, toasted
- Melt the coconut oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the red curry paste and about a quarter of your coconut milk, mix well and cook for about 3 minutes.
- Add the onion and cook until it has turned soft.
- Add the potato, pumpkin, carrots and red lentils along with the rest of the coconut milk and water. Also add all the spices and the honey/sugar.
- Let it simmer for about 20 - 30 minutes, until your veggies are soft.
- After it has cooled down a little, transfer to your blender and blend until smooth. You can also use a hand blender for this.
- Serve garnished with a swirl of coconut milk, chopped cilantro and toasted almonds.
- Feel free to adjust the quantities of mild versus hot curry powder according to how much heat your taste buds like and can take 🙂
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