Moroccan Lentil Soup - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 - 1 medium onion, chopped
1 -2 garlic clove, crushed
1 pinch saffron (knorr saffron cube) or 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon ras el hanout spice mix, Ras El Hanout - Moroccan Spice Mix
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth or 2 1/2 cups low sodium vegetable broth
1 cup water (optional)
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
3/4 cup dry green lentils or 3/4 cup dried red lentils
1/4 - 1/3 cup baby carrots, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro or 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped

Preparation

Heat oil in a large saucepan. Saute onions & garlic until golden brown.
Pour in the broth and sauce then stir in the knorr cube, spices, lentil, carrots, & herbs.
Simmer until lentils are very tender, about 25-35 minutes. (Check about halfway through to make sure you don't need to add water.).
Serve with thick bread to scoop up the soup. Or you can puree the soup in a blender.
Pureed: Let the soup cool slightly then pour into a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth (this will have to be done in batches).