• 3 medium onion, chopped
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 1 carrot, peeled and chopped
• 1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded and chopped
• 1 large potato, chopped
• 1 c. red lentils
• 8 c. water or vegetable stock
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 inch piece ginger, grated
• 1 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. ground coriander
• 2 tsp. turmeric
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 bay leaf
• 2-3 c. cooked brown rice
• 1 can coconut milk
• 2 tsp. salt
• Ground black pepper to taste
• juice of 1 lemon

Put onion, celery, carrot, squash, potato, lentils and water in a large pot. Bring to boil, and reduce heat to simmer. Add garlic, ginger and other spices, including bay leaf. Simmer about 30 minutes, until lentils and vegetables are tender. Remove bay leaf.

Now blend the soup either with an immersion blender or by transferring in batches to a blender.

Add coconut milk and brown rice, heat thoroughly, and add salt and pepper. Stir in lemon juice just before serving. Garnish with a curl of lemon rind and sprig of cilantro to remind yourself that spring will be here someday. Serves 8-10.

Thank you to Heidi at FoodDoodles.com for this complex, wonderfully delicious soup.