Lentil Soup With Coconut

1 tablespoon polyunsaturated vegetable oil
1 onion, peeled and chopped
1-2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
11/2 teaspoons cumin seeds or ground cumin
4 cardamoms or 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 carrot, scraped and chopped
.1 teaspoon groin id turmeric
175 g/6 oz red lentils, rinsed thoroughly
1.5 litres/21/2 pints chicken stock
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon ground coriander
salt
freshly ground black pepper
25 g/1 oz creamed coconut, cut into small pieces
1 tablespoon tomato purée

Heat the oil in a large, deep saucepan, add the onion and garlic and cook for 20 minutes. If using whole spices, crush the cumin seeds and cardamoms together, using the hack of a spoon in a cup or a pestle and mortar. Discard the cardamom husks. Add the crushed or ground cumin and cardamom to the onion and garlic with the carrot and turmeric, and cook for 2 minutes.

Add the lentils (discarding any discoloured ones), stock, bay leaves and coriander. Bring to the boil slowly, then add salt and pepper. Cover and simmer for 45 to 60 minutes until the lentils are soft. Add the creamed coconut and stir until melted. Stir in the tomato purée. Remove the bay leaves and purée the soup in a blender. Return the soup to the rinsed pan and reheat gently. Taste and adjust the seasoning and serve very hot.

SERVES 4