A recipe from the BBC program The Hairy Bikers: Mums Know Best. This soup is by Nassira Jmil. A deliciously warming soup - take along in your thermos and serve with a Mediterranean picnic.

You will need:

• 2 tablespoons of sunflower oil
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 1 clove of garlic
• 300g of lamb, cubed
• 2 stalks celery, finely chopped
• 1 carrot, finely chopped
• 100 grams of dried chickpeas (put to soak overnight)
• 3 teaspoons of salt
• 1 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons of ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric
• 1 tsp of mild curry powder
• 100 grams of lentils
• bunch of parsley, finely chopped
• bunch of coriander, chopped
• 400 grams passata
• 1 cube of beef broth
• 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
• 50 grams of vermicelli
• 3 liters of water
• corn flour (1 tablespoon mixed with water, add to desired thickness)
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges
• Turkish bread, to serve with it

Pour the oil in a large frying pan and fry the onion and the meat briefly. Add the celery, carrot and all the spices except the cinnamon. Stir well and add a few cups of water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and let the mixture simmer gently for 30 minutes. Add the lentils, fresh herbs, chickpeas and passata and cook until the chickpeas and meat are tender. Add, if necessary. some water, add the stock cube, cinnamon and vermicceli. Thicken with corn flour, little by little, until you have the desired thickness. Cook for about 10 min, stirring occasionally. Serve with lemon and Turkish bread.

                                                               Life is a Picnic