Nanna Norma’s panch-lentil soup

This soup truly warms the cockles of your heart! It is a made up recipe from our beautiful adopted Nanna Norma, such a hearty and satisfying soup to make.

Its spicy flavor is thanks to an Indian spice panchpuran which is a combination of black mustard, fenugreek seed, cumin, black cumin & fennel - yum. You can find this spice in a good Indian grocer.

Ingredients

2 onions chopped fine

2 carrots diced rough

2 potato’s diced rough

2 cups of dried red lentils

1 can of crushed tomato’s

2 - 3 big tablespoons of panchpuran
(I use 2 spoonfuls)

1/2 packet (or a spoonful) of packet onion soup
(optional)

salt / pepper / other spices to your liking

about 2 liters of vegetable stock, broth or water

method

Chop up your onions & fry them in a big soup pot with oil
when brown add in your chopped carrots, potato’s & dry red lentils
stir for about 5mins
add in the panchpuran
cook for 5mins
add in your can of tomato’s
place a dash of water into the can after you have emptied it and mix in your onion soup with the water & add to the pot

Add in your stock - I started with 1.5 liters of stock and let this all cook together on a low heat for about 1 hour.
Once the vegetables & lentils are cooked let it cool, then blitz with a hand held blender until it is your desired consistency.

Add more stock at this point (or not if you love it)

Now its just a case of tasting to see what else you’d like to add!
More spices, salt & pepper, more lentils, more stock.

When it's simmered for some time, its time to eat and enjoy!
Best served up in rustic op shopped pottery bowls with crusty sourdough.

See more of my hearty recipes at this link

HERE