Lemony lentil soup with chard (Adas bil hamod)

1. Rinse the brown lentils, bring to the boil with the water and cook for 20 minutes.

2. Add the potatoes, cut into small cubes, and cook for 10 more minutes.

3. Cut the chard leaves into strips and finely chop the stalks, add to the soup and cook for 5 minutes.

4. Meanwhile fry the crushed garlic with the finely chopped coriander and the cumin in the olive oil for 1 minute until fragrant (don't let it brown).

5. Stir the garlic-coriander oil into the soup, season with salt and pepper and sharpen generously with the juice of the two lemons.

6. Serve warm or at room temperature with pita.

Tip: Adas bil hamod (lentils with lemon) is a Lebanese Lenten dish that is filling without meat. It is more a thick stew than a thin soup; even better the next day and tasty cold too. You can make it with spinach instead of chard.