Finely chop the Onions, peel and dice the Carrots and Potatoes into small even cubes, and crush the Garlic. Small, even cubes mean the lentils and vegetables finish cooking together. Rinse the Red lentils in a sieve under cold water until the water runs clear, then drain well. They don't need soaking, but rinsing off the surface starch keeps the soup from tasting muddy.

• Onions
• Carrots
• Potatoes
• Garlic
• Red lentils