Red lentil Harris with yoghurt

This hearty soup is closer to a stew. It is rich with tomatoes and lentils, and made even more substantial by the addition of vermicelli or, if you prefer, rice. We use a ras el hanout spice mix, a name that translates as “top of the shop”, implying the finest spices available; blends vary, but are typically made up of cumin, coriander, cardamom, ginger and saffron. The fragrant spices infuse the soup with aroma, making this comforting bowl the perfect thing to come home to after a long day.

4 to 5 tbsp olive oil

2 brown onions, peeled and finely diced

2cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped

1 tbsp ras el hanout, or baharat spice mix

½ tsp ground turmeric

1 tsp cumin seeds

2 bay leaves (fresh, ideally)

2 carrots, trimmed, peeled and finely diced

2 celery sticks, trimmed, peeled and finely diced

1 handful flat-leaf parsley, stalks finely chopped, leaves roughly chopped

100g red lentils, rinsed well and drained

1½ litres vegetable stock

2 tbsp tomato puree

400g tomato passata

1 to 2 tbsp harissa paste (rose harissa works really well here), plus extra to finish (optional)

1 tsp caster sugar

100g vermicelli, broken into 2 to 3cm lengths, or 150g cooked rice

Salt and black pepper

subheading: To serve:

Coconut yoghurt

Lemon wedges (optional)

Directions at theguardian.com

Never lose a recipe again, not even if the original website goes away! Use the Copy Me That button to create your own complete copy of any recipe that you find online. Learn more! It's free!

Page footer