Put in a little effort the night before and you can have a velvety soup ready as a starter for a special dinner with guests. This recipe serves six generously
Prep:15 mins
Serves 6
2 tbsp rapeseed oil3 onions (480g), chopped30g ginger, peeled and chopped3 large garlic cloves, chopped1½-2 tbsp medium curry powder1 tsp ground coriander½ tsp crushed dried chillies (optional)1kg pumpkin or butternut squash (flesh only), cut into cubes1 tbsp vegetable bouillon powder (ensure vegan, if needed)400g can coconut milk180g dried red lentils15g coriander, chopped
STEP 1Heat the oil in a large pan over a medium heat and fry the onions and ginger for 10 mins, stirring occasionally until softened and starting to colour. Stir in the garlic, curry powder, ground coriander and dried chillies, if using, and cook for 1 min more.STEP 2Tip the mixture into a large slow cooker along with all the remaining ingredients, except the fresh coriander. Add 2 litres water. Cook for 8 hrs on high, or overnight for 15 hrs on low. Stir well, then blitz using a hand blender until smooth. Ladle into bowls and scatter over the fresh coriander to serve. Once completely cool, the soup will keep chilled in an airtight container for 48 hrs or frozen for up to two months. Reheat in a pan over a low heat or in the microwave until piping hot.
