Creamy Curried Lentil and Pumpkin/Squash Soup

Winter finally made it to Cambridge. It's been very mild and then suddenly we had ridiculously cold weather last week and then snow last night. I had never really seen snow fall properly so it was quite a treat. We spent the day frollicking in town. I even managed my first snow ball fight!

Selwyn College Old Court

But after a long day of walking around in snow it is nice to come home to a warm house and some yummy food. We had a butternut pumpkin/squash in the cupboard so I decided to make a yummy soup but with lots of lentils and chickpeas for protein (but with almost no fat)!

Creamy Curried Lentil and Pumpkin/Squash Soup

1 brown onion, chopped

1 leek (white and green bits), cut in half and then sliced

2 carrots, sliced

2 small gold sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped

1 butternut pumpkin/squash, peeled, deseeded and chopped

1 cup of red lentils, prewashed

1 cup chickpeas, presoaked* but not cooked**

1 tbsp soya sauce

1/2 tbsp hot curry powder

1/2 tbsp ground cumin

1/2 tbsp garam masala

1/2 tbsp hot chili powder

1/2 tbsp salt

black pepper to taste

Put the vegies, lentils and chickpeas in a large soup pan/pot and cover with water. Bring to the boil and then simmer for 40 min-1 hour (or whenever the chickpeas cook). Blend the hot soup in the pot with a stick blender or transfer to a food processor/blender/liquidiser and then transfer back to the pot.

Keep the blended soup on a low heat and add the spice. Note that you are putting 1/2 tablespoon of each in. Simmer for another couple of minutes and then serve.

*a couple of hours soaking in some water should be fine

** if you only have cooked/canned chickpeas then just add them at the end instead of at the start