Spinach, Lentil & Lemon Soup - Bedouin Style

(Serves 8)

Ingredients

• 50 mls olive oil
• 1 onion, finely sliced
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 150 gms brown lentils
• 1 ltr water or vegetable stock
• 1 bunch spinach, stalks removed
• ½ C coriander leaves
• juice of 2 lemons, or more to taste
• salt and pepper
• 2 tsp taklia
• 100 gms pine nuts, lightly toasted

Taklia

• 3 cloves garlic, sliced
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• ½ tsp coarse salt

Method

Heat the olive oil in a large heavy-based saucepan and sauté the onion and garlic until they soften.

Add the lentils to the pan and stir well. Add the water or stock and bring to the boil. Simmer until the lentils are very soft - about 30 minutes.

Add the spinach and coriander leaves to the pan with the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper (don’t add too much salt as the Taklia is quite salty). Cover the pan and cook a few minutes until the spinach wilts.

Stir well, then tip into a liquidiser or use a hand blender to purée the soup. If necessary, thin with a little more water - the soup should not be too thick or sludgy.

To make the Taklia:

Fry the garlic in the olive oil over a low heat, taking care not to let it colour. Tip into a mortar, add the coriander and salt and pound to a paste.

Stir the Taklia into the hot soup and serve straight away, garnished with the toasted pine nuts.