Put a litre (100ml)of water in the kettle and turn it on to boil while you finely slice the onion.

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan, add the onion and fry for 2 mins while you peel and slice the garlic and peel and dice (cut into small pieces) the carrots.

Add the carrots and garlic to the same pan as the onion is in and cook for 2 - 3 minutes over the heat.

Pour 1 litre (100ml) of the boiling water from the kettle into the pan with the vegetables in, stir in the lentils and stock cube, then cover the pan and cook over a medium heat for 15 mins until the lentils are starting to soften

Take off the heat and stir in the parsley.

Ladle into bowls, and scatter with extra parsley leaves, if you like.