1largesweet potato, (orange kumara, about 600g/1.3lb) peeled and chopped
4cupsvegetable stock
¼cupred lentils
Salt and pepper, to season
2tablespoonorange juice, (juice of one orange, approximately)
For the tamari pumpkin seeds:
½cuppumpkin seeds
2teaspoontamari
To serve:
Coriander, (cilantro) leaves to garnish
Instructions
For the tamari pumpkin seeds:
Preheat oven to 160C (320F). Toss the pumpkin seeds with the tamari until evenly coated, then spread them out on a baking tray. Roast for 8-10 minutes, or until toasted golden and the tamari is dry. Remove from the oven, scrape the seeds onto a plate or board and allow to cool.
For the soup:
Heat olive oil in a large saucepan. Add garlic, onion and celery and cook for 5-10 minutes, until the vegetables are soft and fragrant.
Add the cumin, cayenne pepper, sweet potato, vegetable stock and red lentils. Season with a little salt and pepper, then simmer for 20 minutes, or until the lentils are cooked and the sweet potato is soft.
Transfer the mixture to a blender and blend until smooth (you may need to do this in batches). Return soup to the pan, adjust seasoning with salt, pepper and cayenne pepper, and add orange juice to taste. Bring back up to heat to serve, or transfer to storage containers to save for later.
To serve:
Serve soup topped with a few spoonfuls of tamari pumpkin seeds and a sprinkle of chopped coriander (cilantro) leaves.
Notes
This soup will serve four, but the serves will be on the small side. If you're cooking for a group, or really hungry, double the recipe.