In large, heavy pot, fry bacon until crispy. Remove 2 Tbsp bacon to reserve as topping.
Add onion, celery and carrots to pot with bacon. Cook until onions are translucent, 3 to 5 minutes.
Stir in garlic and cook 1 minute.
Add cumin, turmeric, cayenne pepper and lentils, cook until fragrant, 30 seconds.
Add stock and bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover with lid slightly askew and simmer until lentils and vegetables are tender, 15 to 17minutes.
Taste and adjust seasoning, including lemon juice.
Remove from heat.
Serve or puree depending on your preference.
Chunky
Serve soup as is, garnished with fresh parsley and reserved bacon.
Smooth & Chunky
Puree one quarter of the soup using a hand-held immersion blender or blender until silky smooth. Stir pureed portion back into the soup to transform the broth into a creamy consistency while still enjoying a few pieces of veggies. Serve garnished with fresh parsley and reserved bacon.
Smooth
Puree entire pot of soup with an immersion hand-held blender or blender until desired consistency. Serve garnished with fresh parsley and reserved bacon.
Notes
Red split lentils cook quickly and will lose their shape entirely if cooked too long. No problem if you're making pureed soup. They also turn a lovely golden yellow when cooked. If using green, brown or other whole lentils, increase cooking time by 15 to 20 minutes and be prepared for a dark green/brown color.For dehydrating: Omit the bacon and fat, use water in pan to steam onions and veggies. Use low fat stock. Puree and place individual serving sizes on a dehydrating tray and dry at 135°F/57°C for 4-6 hours until dry and crumbly.