¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1 large onion, chopped fine

½ teaspoon table salt

¾ teaspoon ground coriander

½ teaspoon ground cumin

¼ teaspoon ground ginger

¼ teaspoon pepper

⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Pinch cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 garlic clove, minced

4 cups vegetable broth, plus extra as needed

2 cups water

10 ½ ounces (1½ cups) red lentils, picked over and

rinsed

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 ½ teaspoons dried mint, crumbled

1 teaspoon paprika

1/ 4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in large saucepan over medium

   heat until shimmering. Add onion and salt and cook,

   stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes.

   Stir in coriander, cumin, ginger, pepper, cinnamon, and

   cayenne and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Stir in

   tomato paste and garlic and cook for 1 minute.

2. Stir in broth, water, and lentils and bring to vigorous

   simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until lentils are soft

   and about half are broken down, about 15 minutes.

3. Whisk soup vigorously until broken down to coarse

   puree, about 30 seconds. Adjust consistency with extra

   hot broth as needed. Stir in lemon juice and season with

   salt to taste. Cover and keep warm.

4. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in 8-inch skillet

over medium heat until shimmering. Off heat, stir

in mint and paprika. Serve soup, drizzling individual

portions with I teaspoon spiced oil and sprinkling with

cilantro.