So the cold has snapped, what are you going to do about it? Make soup, that’s what. This delicious winter warmer will do the trick, full of tasty spices and lentilly goodness.

You’ll need:[rss-cut]
1 butternut pumpkin – peeled, deseeded, chopped
2 potatoes – peeled, chopped
1 large carrot – peeled, chopped
2 cups red or green lentils – wash & drain, removing any discoloured lentils
1 teaspoon vegetable stock or 1 stock cube
1 onion – peeled, diced
2 cloves of garlic – minced
1 star anise
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon olive oil
natural yoghurt or sour cream for topping
fresh coriander for garnish

Spices, mix together:
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon tumeric
1 tablespoon sweet paprika
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/4 teaspoon chilli powder

Put the pumpkin, potatoes & carrot in a pot then fill with water to just cover them. Add stock powder and bring to the boil.

Heat oil in a separate pan on medium heat. Sautee onions and garlic then add spice mix and stir til fragrant. Add lentils and 1/4 cup water to moisten, you don’t want them drying out! Stir for a couple of minutes then add this mixture to the boiling vegetables.

Secret ingredient = star anise to give some sweet to the spice. Throw this & the bay leaves into the pot.

Keep boiling and stirring until the vegetables fully soften, then use a potato masher to break them up. You can use a hand mixer if you prefer a smoother texture.

Remove star anise and bay leaves, serve up and garnish with coriander and yoghurt or sour cream.

Hot crusty bread and butter won’t go astray either. Yum, yum… yum!

TIP: whatever you do, don’t throw away the pumpkin seeds! Sprinkle with S&P and a dash of olive oil, spread them over a tray and roast at 220C til they’re crunchy and golden – tasty, tasty snack.

About Ingrid Schroder

A Sydney-side freelance graphic designer, photographer & yoga teacher - I find myself turning to nature for guaranteed revival from the crazy pace of city life - be it digging in my garden, capturing natural beauty through a lens, floating in the ocean, practicing yoga or out exploring this incredible planet we all call home. Follow me on twitter @Cohabitaire