Pumpkin and Lentil Soup

Ingredients
  • 1/2 butternut pumpkin. peeled and cut into chunks
  • 3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
  • 1 knob of ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
  • 1 onion, roughly chopped
  • 6 cups water
  • 1 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1/2 tsp chili flakes
  • 200g red lentils

Onion topping

  • 1 onion, sliced into thin rings
  • 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 tbsp canola oil
Instructions
  1. Place garlic, onion, ginger, lentils and water in a medium saucepan. Bring mixture to boil before adding turmeric powder, chili flakes and a pinch of salt flakes. Lower heat and let mixture simmer for 20 minutes, covered.
  2. Meanwhile, place pumpkin in a large pot of water. Bring water to boil and keep it boiling till pumpkin pieces are tender, about 10 minutes. When that’s done, turn heat off and drain pumpkin.
  3. Bring lentil mixture back to boil and let boil for 5 minutes, uncovered. Turn heat off and add pumpkin in. Let cool for a bit before blending the soup to a puree, in batches.
  4. To make onion topping Heat oil in a medium frying pan. Add onion rings and fry till they soften and start to turn colour. Add garlic slices in and fry till onion rings are golden brown. Reheat pumpkin soup and serve with onion topping and slices of crusty bread. Serves 4