Veg and Lentil Soup

Like most soups, this is easy and just a slight variation from the carrot and coriander soup I have posted.

1. 1

   Have a bowl ready for each : carrots, onions and celery.
   Cut the onions into large dice and place in bowl.
   Peel carrots and slice into 1/3 cm slices.
   After washing, slice celery into 1/3 cm slices.
   Peel the potatoes and half and slice thinly.
   Chop the coriander.
   Heat a large pan and then add the olive oil followed by the onions.
   Stir with wooden spoon and sprinkle a little salt and pepper, cook till just starting to clear. Then add the celery and stir further for about 2 mins and then add the carrots and a little more salt and pepper and keep stirring occasionally to prevent anything catching.
   Allow to cook until the onions start to clear, then add the flour and stir until the flour has absorbed the oil.(use more if you need to).
   Add the water from the kettle and stir. Then add the potato, the stock cube and half the coriander. Bring to the boil and add the lentils. Keep stirring shortly after so as the lentils don’t stick to the bottom of the pan. Add the chilli sauce if you are going to.
   Taste the liquid in the pan and if necessary, add more salt and pepper.
   Once the lentils are broken down and the veg is soft, add the rest of the coriander. Once stirred in, remove from the heat and using a hand blender, blitz the contents in short bursts so as not to puree the soup but to leave small chunks of the veg.
   Check for seasoning and add more in need be.
   Serve with a few sprigs coriander or flat leaf parsley.
   Butter your rolls and that is it.