Sick of lockdown cooking? Make a massive batch of this and you’ve got a meal that keeps on giving.

This is a simple yet deliciously tasty recipe that is the perfect lockdown food. A comforting, nourishing bowl that tastes even better the day after it has been made. I made a quadruple batch of this a few days ago – I love batch cooking as it means one meal just keeps on giving. It becomes the evening meal, I freeze some and sometimes share some. 

Use whatever tomatoes you might have on hand, whether they be fresh or tinned. If you don’t have dried red or brown lentils then any tinned lentil or even chickpeas or beans would be fine too. The same goes for the coconut cream – coconut milk will also do the trick. 

Enjoy this recipe, stay safe and don’t forget to get out and stretch those legs and fill those lungs with fresh air. 

SPICED LENTIL SOUP

Serves 6

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 onions
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 carrots
• 150g red or brown lentils
• 1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes
• 1 x 400ml tin coconut cream
• 500ml vegetable stock
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons ginger, grated
• chopped coriander to serve

Heat the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over a medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté until translucent and beginning to catch to the bottom of the pot. This will take 10-15 minutes. 

Add the garlic and the carrot and continue to cook for a further 10 minutes. Add the lentils and cook for a minute before adding the remaining ingredients. 

Bring to the boil, then lower the heat to a simmer, cover and cook for at least an hour until the lentils are soft. I cook mine for 2 hours or so to allow the flavours to really develop. 

Stir from time to time as you go to make sure it doesn’t burn to the bottom of the pot. Once done, remove from the heat, spoon into bowls and garnish with coriander.