½ of a medium yellow onion, finely diced (about 1 cup)
1 stalk celery, finely diced
1 medium carrot, grated
1 cup chopped cauliflower
1 Tbsp Thai red curry paste
½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground cardamom
1 bay leaf
One 15 ounce can of diced tomatoes with the juice
3 cups of vegetable or chicken stock
1 cup dried red lentils
8 ounces of full-fat canned coconut milk
Salt and pepper to taste
6 lime wedges
¼ cup chopped cilantro
Directions
Heat the oil in a large, heavy soup pot over medium heat and add the onion, carrot, celery, and cauliflower. Cook, stirring, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add some of the water to soften and steam the vegetables. When the vegetables are soft, add the Thai red curry paste, cinnamon, and cardamom. Stir together for about a minute and stir in the lentils, bay leaf, and tomatoes with their juice. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring often, for 10 minutes, until the tomatoes have cooked down slightly. Add ½ tsp of salt to taste.
Add the 3 cups of vegetable or chicken stock. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, cover and simmer 30 minutes. Add in the coconut milk and continue to simmer for 15 to 30 minutes, until the lentils have fallen apart and thickened the soup. Using the back of your spoon, mash the lentils against the side of the pot to thicken the soup further. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Squeeze in the lime juice and garnish with the chopped cilantro.
