Step 1

Roughly chop onion and carrot, and peel and crush garlic.

Step 2

Add onion and garlic to a large pan with olive oil and sauté for 5 minutes - stirring frequently - until onion is soft and translucent.

Step 3

Add chopped carrot, chili powder, paprika, turmeric, cumin and pepper to pan, and sauté for 2 minutes more.

Step 4

Add lentils, vegetable broth and milk to the pan. Bring soup to a boil and reduce heat until gently bubbling.

Step 5

Simmer soup for 12-14 minutes, until lentils are soft.

Step 6

Transfer to a blender, and blend on high power for about 20 seconds until soup is creamy (you might need to do this in two batches).

Step 7

Return to the pot and add salt to taste (I usually find I need about 1 tsp salt). If your soup is thicker than you'd like, add a little more milk, broth or water. Reheat if needed.

Step 8

Serve in large bowls, optionally garnished with fresh cilantro or parsley, lime juice, chili flakes and dairy-free cream or yoghurt.