Lentils and Bacon Soup

Finely chop the tomato, onion, garlic, and ginger. Soak 150 g of lentils in 400 ml of water in a heatproof dish.

Heat oil in a frying pan and stir-fry the garlic and ginger. Microwave the lentils for 15 minutes.

Add the onions and stir-fry for 3 minutes until the color becomes like this.

Add the chopped tomatoes, cayenne pepper and coriander. Mix well. If you stir over heat, it becomes thick and sticky.

Slice the bacon into strips and fry without oil (use oil rendered from the bacon) until crisp.

Remove the lentils from the microwave. It's cooked if it's soft like mashed potatoes.

Add lentils with the water to the paste made in Step 4. Add water (not listed) until 4 to 5 cm above the surface, and mix well.

If you mix well, the result will be a slightly thick soup. If it's too dense, dilute with water.

Add a modest amount of soup stock and 4/3 of the bacon. Simmer over a low heat for 5 to 10 minutes. Adjust the taste by adding salt.

Top with the remaining bacon and lemon, and enjoy. Squeeze some lemon juice before serving.

It goes well with rice, naan, and bread. You could mix in a portion of rice into the curry and let the flavors meld.