WEST AFRICAN PEANUT LENTIL SOUP

Simple and wholesome one pot meal just perfect for a make-ahead week night meal. 

Ingredients

·      1 tsp oil

·      1/2  medium onion

·      2 juicy tomatoes

·      4-5 garlic cloves

·      1 inch ginger

·      1 tbsp sambal oelek or asian chili sauce or other hot chile sauce to taste

·      1 tbsp tomato paste or ketchup

·      1.5 tsp ground cumin

·      2 tsp ground coriander

·      1 to 1.5 tsp Harissa Spice Blend store bought or homemade (I ground together 2 cloves of garlic, caraway seeds, coriander and cumin seeds slightly toasted and smoked paprika)

·      1/4 tsp black pepper

·      1/4 cup nut butter like peanut butter or almond butter

·      2 tbsp peanuts

·      1/2 cup (90 g) red lentils 

·      2 cups (364 g) veggies chopped small or thin slices - zucchini, sweet potato or potato, carrots, eggplant, broccoflower etc

·      2.5 cups (587.5 ml) vegetable stock or water

·      3/4 tsp (0.75 tsp) to 1 salt

·      1 tsp or more lime or lemon juice

·      1/2 cup (15 g) packed baby spinach or other baby greens.

·      Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add onions and cook until translucent. 5 minutes

·      Meanwhile, blend the tomatoes, garlic, ginger, chili sauce, tomato paste, spices until pureed. (I added the harissa spice ingredients too!) Add to the saucepan. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes.

·      Add peanut butter, half of the nuts, lentils, veggies, stock, salt and lemon juice. Mix, cover and cook.

·      Stir at 15 minutes. Taste and adjust salt, heat and check if the veggies are al-dente. Add in the baby spinach. Cook for another 5 minutes or until the veggies and lentils are cooked through. Add more water if needed.

·      Garnish with rest of the peanuts, cilantro, more lemon juice. Serve with flatbread, crackers or as is.

 Recipe courtesy of Vegan Richa