Curried Coconut and Red Lentil Soup

Preparation

1. Step 1

   Heat a large pot over high heat. Add olive oil, onion, celery, carrot, garlic and ginger. Season with salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are charred in spots and onion begins to soften, about 6 minutes.

2. Step 2

   Add tomato paste and curry powder and stir quickly to coat the vegetables and toast the spices, about 30 seconds. Add broth, coconut milk and lentils and stir to combine. Bring to boil, then reduce heat to medium-high to maintain a gentle boil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are tender, about 20 minutes.

3. Step 3

   Using an immersion blender, blend the soup until smooth. Alternatively, carefully transfer to a blender. Remove the plastic center piece of the lid and cover the lid with a kitchen towel before blending (to help prevent steam build-up in the blender). Return blended soup to pot.

4. Step 4

   Add 1 cup coconut water or plain water and stir to combine. Adjust to your desired consistency with up to 1 cup of additional water, stirring it in ¼ cup at a time.

5. Step 5

   Serve with a drizzle of chile crisp and a squeeze of lime. Soup can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. Reheat on the stove until warmed through. Adjust consistency with water as needed.