Hayley’s Delicious Lentil and Sweet Potato Soup

Ingredients (serves 6)

• 2 tablespoon of oil
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 tablespoon Latasha’s Kitchen Madras Curry Paste
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, chopped, or tube/jar equivalent
• 4 cm piece of ginger, peeled and grated or tube/jar equivalent
• 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into small cubes (large dice size)
• 3 medium red capsicum
• 2 cups red lentils
• 6 cups vegetable stock (homemade, liquid UHT style or I use Massel low salt veg stock cubes − 3 of these and 6 cups of water)
• To serve − natural yoghurt

Method

1. Heat the oil on low heat, add the spices and Latasha’s Kitchen Madras Curry Paste and cook, stirring, till fragrant
2. Add the chopped onion and cook, stirring, till soft
3. Add the ginger and garlic and cook a further minute
4. Add the sweet potato and capsicum and cook for a further minute
5. Add lentils and stock (or water and cubes)
6. Bring to the boil and reduce heat to low-medium and cook a further 25 minutes until the sweet potato is soft and the soup thickens
7. Serve topped with a dollop of yoghurt

Portion plating

This is a mixed dish with the ingredients used in the ratio of ¼ plate protein-rich foods (lentils and yoghurt), ¼ plate lower GI carbohydrates (sweet potato) and ¼ – ½ plate vegetables (capsicum, onion) so dish up a plateful of this recipe.

It does not quite meet the full vegetable requirement however it is a delicious and filling, nutrient-rich soup that is a great introduction to red lentil use.