Snowy days... Soup days

Winter finally came. More than a half a meter in one day, and now there is a sea of slush out there. But in times like these, there are actually easy ways to make life better. One of them is making a hearty soup to scare away the winter chill. I've been craving a red lentil soup the last week, and finally I got around to making one! A red lentil soup with caramelized onion to be precis.

This soup does take some time, but it is still very easy. Most of the time required the soup spends minding its own business, which leaves you free to just take it easy and enjoy the wonderful smells escaping the pot.

Serves 2 hungry people with a side of good bread:

½ large yellow onion
1 tbsp oil
2 tsp salt
1 clove of garlic
1 tbsp finely chopped ginger
1 small carrot
1 ½ dl red lentils
10 dl water
2 tsp turmeric
1 tbsp vinegar
Pepper
Chili

Start by slicing the onion in thin slices lengthwise. Cut the slices in half. Heat the oil in a deep pot. Add the onions and sauté on low heat for ten minutes. The onions should get soft and see-through. Meanwhile, mine the garlic, finely dice the carrot and chop the ginger. After ten minutes, add the salt and continues sautéing for ten more minutes. The onions should start to get golden brown by now. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for five minutes. Add the carrot and lentils and leave for five more minutes.

Now it's time to add the rest of the ingredients. You can add pepper and/or chili to taste. Bring it all to a boil and let simmer with the lid on for 30-40 minutes until the lentils are nice and soft. Give it a good stir to break down the lentils and make it creamier. Serve with a good bread.