

Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil
1 leek, washed, trimmed and finely sliced
1 tsp ground turmeric
2 tsp ground cumin
2 teaspoons black mustard seeds
2–3 lemons, juiced
250g split red lentils
500ml veg stock
1 litre water
4 handfuls of kale (or other greens), washed, trimmed and shredded
To serve (optional)
2 tbsp yoghurt
Preparation
Fry the leek in a hot pan for a few minutes, until softened, then add the spices and fry for another couple of minutes. Squeeze in the juice of 1 lemon and stir.
Add the lentils, stock and 1 litre of water and simmer for 20–35 minutes, until the lentils are cooked and the soup has thickened.
Turn off the heat and blitz the whole lot to a thin dhal consistency, then squeeze in the juice of the remaining 2 lemons, tasting as you go to make sure it doesn’t get too lemony. It may seem like a lot, but you really want the lemony tang to come through.
Just before you’re ready to serve, sauté the kale in a little olive oil until it slightly softens but begins to crisp at the edges.
Ladle into bowls and top with the yoghurt and the crispy kale.
Notes
A note from Anna: Turmeric is a favourite spice of mine. If I am feeling off-colour I stir a teaspoon into hot water and sip it as a reviving tonic. I love the vibrant, deep saffron-gold colour, the clean, sharp, savoury acid note and the hard- to-put-your-finger-on flavour. It’s a real star on the health front, as it is an anti-inflammatory and has anti-carcinogenic properties. What a spice.