The soup framework

Soup is the most forgiving dish in the kitchen: it uses up vegetables, stretches a small budget and tastes better the next day. The structure is always the same.

The template

• 1. Sweat the aromatics: soften chopped onion (and garlic, celery or carrot if you have them) in a little oil over medium-low heat for 5 to 10 minutes, without browning.
• 2. Add ground spices and cook for 1 minute to wake them up.
• 3. Add the vegetables, chopped into similar sizes. Cover and let them soften for about 10 minutes.
• 4. Add the liquid (and lentils or grains if using). Bring to the boil, then lower to a gentle simmer.
• 5. Simmer until everything is soft: 10 to 30 minutes depending on what is in the pot.
• 6. Blend until smooth, partly blend, or leave chunky. Taste and season. Finish with acid (lemon or lime), herbs or a swirl of yoghurt.

Swap it

• Bases: red lentils (soft in 20 to 30 minutes), potatoes or sweet potato for creaminess, tinned chickpeas or beans, or a small handful of vermicelli or rice to make it more filling.
• Vegetables: carrot, butternut squash, pumpkin and potato for smooth soups; courgette, tomatoes, peas and leafy greens for lighter ones. Add leafy greens at the end.
• Liquids: chicken or vegetable stock, water plus a stock cube, or part coconut milk. As a rough guide, start with about 4 times the volume of liquid to lentils and add more to loosen.
• Spices: cumin and coriander for Middle Eastern soups; turmeric, ginger and curry powder for spiced ones; dried black lime (loomi) for a Gulf twist.
• Toppings: toasted pitta squares, fresh coriander or parsley, a drizzle of olive oil, lemon wedges, yoghurt or chilli flakes.

Worked example: red lentil soup, shorbat adas (serves 4)

• Ingredients: 2 tbsp oil, 1 onion (chopped), 1 garlic clove, 1 small carrot (chopped), 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp ground coriander, 200 g red lentils (rinsed until the water runs clear), 800 ml to 1 litre chicken or vegetable stock, salt, black pepper, lemon wedges and parsley or coriander to serve.
• Soften the onion and garlic in the oil for about 5 minutes. Add the cumin and coriander and cook for 1 minute.
• Add the carrot and lentils, then 800 ml of the stock. Bring to the boil, cover, lower the heat and simmer for about 30 minutes, until the lentils have completely broken down. Add more stock or water if it gets too thick.
• Blend until smooth with a stick blender. Taste and season.
• Serve with a generous squeeze of lemon and herbs. Across the Gulf, versions are served at iftar during Ramadan, often after breaking the fast with a date.

Variations on the template

• Gulf-style: add a pierced dried lime (loomi) while the soup simmers, plus a little turmeric and tomato puree; stir in a handful of vermicelli for the last 3 minutes.
• Butternut squash: replace half the lentils with 400 g diced squash, use the same spices and add a little ginger.
• Chunky vegetable and chickpea: do not blend; use tinned tomatoes plus stock, add drained chickpeas and finish with spinach and lemon.
• Chicken and vegetable: simmer boneless chicken pieces in the stock until cooked through, shred them and return them to the pot with vegetables and a handful of rice or vermicelli.

Fixes and tips

• Too thick: add hot water or stock a little at a time. Lentil soups thicken as they stand and in the fridge.
• Too thin: simmer uncovered for a few more minutes, or blend in some of the cooked lentils or potato.
• Too salty: add more unsalted liquid and more vegetables or lentils. Stock cubes are salty, so taste before adding extra salt.
• Tastes dull: add salt a little at a time, then a squeeze of lemon. Acid makes soup taste brighter.
• Blending safety: let soup cool a little before using a jug blender, fill it no more than half full and hold the lid with a tea towel. A stick blender in the pan is safer.
• Storing: cool soup in smaller containers within 1 to 2 hours, eat refrigerated soup within 2 days, or freeze it for 2 to 3 months for best quality.