Instructions

1. Finely chop the onion, ginger and garlic. Roughly chop the carrots.
2. Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat.
3. Add the onion and gently sauté for about 5 minutes, until softened.
4. Add the garlic, ginger and cumin seeds. Stir for a minute, then add the tomato purée and turmeric. Stir again for a minute, then add the bay leaf, star anise and lentils.
5. Pour in enough water to cover everything generously, then crumble in the stock cube.
6. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the lentils and carrots are tender. Add more water if the soup becomes too thick.
7. For a smoother texture, use a stick blender to partially or fully blend the soup (optional).
8. Add the kale and cook for a further 5-8 minutes until just wilted.
9. Turn off the heat, discard the bay leaf & star anise, then stir in the parsley leaves.
10. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed before serving.