This is healthy comfort food. Chicken stock really works in this recipe, but as long as there’s a litre and a half of good quality stock (for example Vegetable Nage) it will work well. The whole chilli imparts just a little heat and flavour as the soup cooks, but unless you enjoy seriously hot soup please remove it before liquidising.

1 medium red onion finely chopped

1 shallot finely chopped

Olive oil

2 cloves garlic, crushed (optional)

Large bunch of coriander – to make 2 tablespoons of chopped coriander stalks, plus 2 tablespoons of chopped leaves for serving

120g Split yellow lentils (these tend to be larger than the small red lentils). Pick through and rinse well

80g small split red lentils. Pick through and rinse well

1 x bay leaf

¾ tsp ground coriander

¾ tsp ground cumin

1 whole red Birdseye or similar hot chilli - keep it whole

1.5 litres of stock (we usually use ½ litre of fresh chicken stock to a litre of Vegetable Nage or Stock. For a vegan version, you could just use 1.5 litres of Nage)

½ lemon juice (to serve)

• Fry onions, coriander stalks and shallots in olive oil in a large pan/ wok until soft and just beginning to colour. Add the ground coriander, cumin, and garlic and fry for a minute

• Add the lentils, bay leaf, stock(s) and whole chilli, and bring to the boil. Remove any scum that appears on the surface. Cook for 40-60 minutes until the lentils have softened

• Take off heat. Remove whole chilli and bay leaf, then liquidise

• Serve with bread, chopped coriander leaves and the lemon juice. A little blob of Cashew and Coriander Relish is nice with it too