Sweet and sour lentil soup with smoked ham

Ingredients for 2 servings:

• 100 g lentils, dried
• 500 ml coconut water (Asian shop, drinks)
• 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar, black (e.g. from Narcissus)
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar, mild
• 8 small onions, red
• 100 g smoked ham cubes
• 2 tbsp sunflower oil
• 3 medium-sized garlic cloves
• 2 small green chili peppers (cabe rawit hijau)
• 1 large waxy potato
• 80 g carrot(s)
• 2 tbsp, heaped Kailan (Chinese broccoli), fresh or frozen
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 cloves
• 8 cm cinnamon stick(s)
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 2 tbsp rice wine (Arak Masak)
• 50 g creamy coconut milk (24% fat)
• e.g. chicken broth (strong bouillon)
• Ham cubes (see preparation)
• n. B. flowers (Kailan flowers)
• n. B. flowers and leaves

Instructions

Working time approx. 15 minutes; Rest time approx. 12 hours; Cooking/baking time approx. 35 minutes; Total time approx. 12 hours 50 minutes

Wash the lentils and shake dry. Place them in a bowl with enough coconut water to cover them. Let them soak overnight at room temperature, adding more coconut water if necessary. Place the lentils and their soaking liquid in a 2-liter saucepan (with a lid). Add the remaining coconut water, rice wine vinegar, and red wine vinegar. Trim both ends of the onions, peel them, and roughly chop them. Fry them with 80g of the diced ham in the sunflower oil until the onions are translucent. Add everything to the lentils. Use the remaining diced ham for garnishing. Trim both ends of the garlic cloves, peel them, and slice them crosswise into thin slices. Wash the small green chilies and slice them crosswise into thin slices. Leave the seeds on and discard the stems. Wash and peel the potatoes, cut them in half lengthwise, then cut the halves in half lengthwise and then quarter them crosswise. Cut off both ends of a small carrot, peel it, and cut it crosswise into approximately 3 mm thick slices. Halve larger slices. Wash the fresh kai lan, separate the leaves from the stem. Separate the woody stem above the first leaf and discard. Separate the thin leaf stalks from the leaves along the midrib, halving the leaves lengthwise. Cut the leaf stalks and stem crosswise into thin rolls. Chop the leaves. Freeze any unused lentils. Measure and thaw frozen lentils. Bring the lentils to a simmer and add all the ingredients, from the garlic to the kai lan stems, and stir in. Add the spices and sugar, mix, and simmer with the lid on for 30 minutes. Mix the coconut milk with the rice wine and add to the lentil soup. Remove the cinnamon stick and cloves. Season the soup with chicken stock to taste. Divide the finished lentil soup into serving bowls, garnish and serve warm.