Winter is beginning to arrive in the northern part of the world and at this time of the year a hearty lentil soup, generously spiced with hot African spices seems like a really good idea and unless you’re going to Africa on holiday, probably the closest you’ll get to the African sun. Grains of Selim are good in both soups and stews but they must not be confused with grains of paradise because they have a completely different flavour. In this recipe we use both of the spices we feature today with great success. Serve piping hot bowls of soup with a good swizzle of olive oil, steaming hot bread and a good bottle of red wine.

Ingredients

• 500 g lentils, rinsed well
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 250 ml onions, finely chopped
• 250 ml carrots, finely chopped
• 250 ml celery, finely chopped
• 500 ml tomatoes, peeled and chopped
• 3 cloves garlic
• 2 lemons, zest only
• 1,5 litres homemade chicken stock
• 500 ml homemade vegetable stock
• 2 grains of selim pods
• 1 tsp coriander seeds, ground
• 1 tsp cumin seeds, ground
• 1 tsp grains of paradise, ground
• Coarse sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

• Fry the onion, the carrots and the celery in the olive oil until the onions are translucent and then add both types of stock, the tomatoes, the lentils, the garlic and all the spices, including the grains of selim pods.
• Bring to the boil and simmer for about 30 minutes on medium heat , skimming off any residue and then add the lemon zest and then allow to simmer for another 30 minutes.
• Blend with a hand blender should you like a smooth soup or leave as is for a delicious thick and chunky soup.