Ingredients:
- 1 tbsp olive oil or ghee
- ½ onion, diced
- 2 cloves of minced garlic
- 1 medium carrot, diced
- 2 tsp fermented miso paste
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp of ginger
- 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
- 2 cups rinsed and drained brown lentils or a can of organic lentils
- 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth or broth your choose
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
Method:
- In a cooking pot heat 1 tbsp of olive oil or ghee over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, carrot, and a pinch of salt. Cook for 5-6 minutes until soft and translucent.
- Stir in miso paste with 2 tbsp of water until dissolved into onion mixture. Add bay leaves, coriander, cumin, and paprika. Stir in tomatoes. Cook for 3 minutes. Add lentils, vegetable broth, and extra water if you need . Stir to combine.
- Bring mixture to a low boil then reduce the heat to simmer until lentils are soft , covered ( less if you are using lentils from a can ) . Then blend in blender or with a hand blender to desired consistency and adjust seasoning (salt and pepper) as needed.
- Serve soup with fresh parsley, cracked black pepper, red pepper flakes, and toasted bread. For anyone who loves smoky flavour, add cubes of smoked tofu as an extra on the top.
History and Benefits:
This soup is simple, fast and easy to make and is very nourishing, especially on a cold rainy day or in a transition of season. Fermented miso in this soup acts as a prebiotic for your gut, which means it nourishes your gut flora (which is important for a healthy immune system), and we could all do with a little bit of that these days.
