Indian-Style Spiced Carrot & Lentil Soup With Crispy Croutons

Preheat the oven to 180°C/ 160°C (fan)/ gas 4

Boil a full kettle

Peel and roughly chop your brown onion[s]

Top, tail and roughly chop your carrot[s]

Heat a large, wide-based pot with a drizzle of olive oil over a medium-high heat

Once hot, add the chopped onion and carrot with a pinch of salt, and cook for 3-4 min or until the onion is starting to soften

Meanwhile, peel (scrape the skin off with a teaspoon) and finely chop (or grate) your ginger

Cut your red chilli[es] in half lengthways, deseed (scrape the seeds out with a teaspoon) and chop finely

Once the onion has started to soften, add your garam masala, ground turmeric, chopped ginger, red lentils and half the chopped chilli (can't handle the heat? Go easy!) to the pot and cook for 1 min or until fragrant

Meanwhile, dissolve your vegetable stock mix in 1.2L [1.5L] [2L] boiled water

Add the stock and cook for 10-15 min or until the lentils and carrots are tender

Meanwhile, chop your ciabatta[s] into bite-sized cubes

Place on a baking tray (or two!) and add a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt

Put the tray[s] in the oven and cook for 5-6 min or until crispy – these are your crispy croutons

Chop your coriander finely, including the stalks (save some leaves for garnish later!)

Roll your lime[s] with your hand on a hard surface (to release more juice!) and cut into wedges

Wash your spinach, then pat it dry with kitchen paper

Once the lentils and carrots are tender, pulse with a (stick) blender (or food processor) until it has thickened, whilst keeping some of the vegetables chunky

Add the spinach and chopped coriander to the pot and cook for 2-3 min until wilted

Once wilted, add the juice of half your lime wedges – this is your Indian-style spiced carrot & lentil soup