Heat the oil in a thick-bottomed saucepan and fry off the onions on medium heat. Add the ground spices and stir until they become aromatic.
Add the garlic and ginger and stir again for a few minutes. Then add the red lentils and toss in the spice mixture for one more minute.
Add the chicken or vegetable stock and cook on high heat till it comes to a rapid boil. Lower the temperature and let the ingredients simmer for about 10-15 mins—season to taste.
Remove from the heat and blend using a stab blender or do it manually using a regular blender. Add the drained and rinsed chickpeas and let it simmer for another 5 mins.
Stir through the cooked quinoa and squeeze a little lime juice in the soup. Garnish with a dollop of thick Greek yogurt and chopped coriander.