Red Lentil Soup with Fried Tofu and Chilli Oil

• portioner: Serves four

Ingredienser

About 250ml sunflower oil

1 medium onion, chopped

4 garlic cloves, chopped

20g chopped fresh ginger

¾ tsp each ground cumin, turmeric, cinnamon, cardamom and coriander

400ml coconut milk

250g red lentils

Shaved skin of ½ lemon, plus 80ml lemon juice

Salt and white pepper

1 tsp cumin seeds

¾ tsp pul biber (Turkish chilli flakes), or normal chilli flakes with a pinch of sweet paprika

50g corn flour

220 firm tofu, cut into 3cm dice

3 tbsp freshly chopped coriander

Vejledning

Heat two tablespoons of sunflower oil in a medium saucepan. Add the onion and on medium-low heat sweat for eight minutes until soft. Add the garlic, ginger and ground spices, and cook, stirring, for eight minutes. Add 900ml water, the coconut milk, lentils and lemon skin (not the juice). Bring to a boil, then simmer until the lentils are soft, about 20 minutes. Remove the lemon skin, add one and a quarter teaspoons of salt and some white pepper, and blend until smooth. Taste and add more salt, if you like.

Pour another two tablespoons of oil into a small saucepan and heat. Add the cumin seeds and chilli flakes, and cook on low heat for a minute. Tip out into a heatproof bowl.

Wipe clean the saucepan and pour in enough oil to come 2cm up the sides. While the oil is heating up, mix the corn flour with a quarter-teaspoon of salt and some white pepper. Toss the tofu in the corn flour, shake off any excess and fry in batches until golden, about five minutes (the oil must be just hot enough gently to fry the tofu). Drain on kitchen towel and set aside somewhere warm.

To serve, heat up the soup, stir in the lemon juice and divide between four bowls. Top each with some fried tofu and a drizzle of the cumin and chilli oil, and finish with a sprinkling of coriander.