My Vegan Shorba: Spiced Lentil and Vegetable Soup

This is a spiced version of lentil soup: shorba, or chorba, found in Algerian, Lebanese and many other cuisines.
There are countless variations depending on the country and, as with every dish rooted in tradition, the recipe probably changes from family to family.
I learned it a few years ago from an Iranian Kurdish cook I worked with, who taught me this vegetarian version.

Soak the lentils (I used red lentils from Abruzzo) in cold water, in a covered glass or ceramic container, for 24 hours.
I often leave them for 36 hours, changing the water a couple of times a day, so that they start to sprout slightly.

Cut the leek and onion into rough chunks and dice the cherry tomatoes. Slice the fresh chili.
In a tall pot suitable for slow cooking, put 4 tablespoons of olive oil, the leek, onion, chili, all the spices, the bay leaf and rosemary. Sauté for 5 minutes. Drain the lentils and add them to the pot, stir well, then add the tomatoes (out of season you can use a few tablespoons of tomato sauce) and cover everything with hot water.
Cook for 30 to 45 minutes: covered for the first part, then uncovered for the last 10 minutes so the excess liquid evaporates.

Serve hot with fresh parsley or coriander and a squeeze of lemon juice. If you like it hot, add more chili powder and eat it with pita bread.