Curried Red Lentil and Pumpkin Soup

This is even better than pumpkin soup, tasting very much like pumpkin soup, but with added flavour, and protein....

Ingredients:

Olive oil

1 brown onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger

1 Tablespoon curry powder

1kg butternut pumpkin, peeled, deseeded, cut into 1cm-pieces

1 cup red lentils, rinsed

1.25L (5 cups) water

1x 10g Vegetable stock cube

Natural yoghurt (optional)

Coriander leaves (optional)

Method:

Heat a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Spray with olive oil spray. Add the onion and cook, for 5 minutes or until soft. Add the garlic, ginger and curry powder and cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until aromatic.

Add the pumpkin, lentils, water and stock cube. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low. Simmer, partially covered, for 15-20 minutes or until the pumpkin and lentils are soft. Set aside to cool.

Ladle half the lentil mixture into the jug of a blender and blend until smooth. Transfer to a clean saucepan. Repeat with the remaining lentil mixture.

Place the soup over medium heat and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes or until heated through. Season with pepper. Ladle among serving bowls. Top with the yoghurt and coriander to serve.