Curried Winter Squash Soup with Red Lentil and Coconut Milk

1 lb 2 oz red kuri squash, seeded and diced
4 carrots, peeled and diced (5 oz)
1 leek, white part only, chopped – other vegetables work too (parsley root, turnip…)
1 celery branch, chopped
1 zucchini (7 oz), cut in pieces
3 cups water
1/2 cup (3.5 oz) red lentils
1 shallot, chopped
1 tsp ground curry
1/2 tsp ground cumin
200ml coconut milk
Chopped parsley or coriander
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper

In a large pot, heat 2 tbsp olive oil. Add the shallot, leek and celery. Sweat for 2 minutes, until soft, making sure that the vegetables never brown. Then add the ground cumin and curry, and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.

Add the rest of the vegetables and continue to cook for 5 minutes.

Add the lentils, water, salt and pepper and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes, until all the vegetables are soft.

Mix the soup. Check the seasoning, and add the coconut milk. Keep warm.

Ladle the soup in a bowl and add the parsley/coriander