Mercimek Çorbası (Red Lentil Soup)

Ingredients

• 250 g red lentils
• 1 piece yellow onion
• 1 piece carrot
• 1 piece floury potato
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 30 g unsalted butter
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1.2 l water
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp dried mint
• 1 tsp mild chili flakes such as pul biber
• to taste fine salt
• to taste ground black pepper
• 1 piece lemon

Method

1. Rinse the red lentils under cold water until the water is almost clear, then let them drain while the vegetables are prepared.
2. Peel and slice the onion, cut the carrot and potato into small pieces, then chop the garlic so it quickly flavors the base of the soup.
3. Heat the olive oil with a portion of the butter in a pot, add the onion, and sweat it until it becomes translucent and sweet without browning.
4. Add the carrot, potato, and garlic, and stir until the vegetables are glossy with fat and begin to smell sweet.
5. Stir in the tomato paste, cumin, and dried mint, then cook, stirring, until the tomato darkens slightly and loses its raw smell.
6. Add the drained lentils and water, salt lightly, bring to a simmer, then cook over low heat until the lentils burst and the vegetables are very tender.
7. Blend the soup directly in the pot until you obtain a smooth velouté, then adjust with a little hot water if the texture seems too thick.
8. Taste, adjust the salt and pepper, then let simmer briefly again until the soup is coating and homogeneous.
9. Melt the remaining butter separately with the pul biber until it foams and colors slightly, without burning the chili.
10. Serve the soup piping hot in bowls, drizzle with chili butter, and offer lemon wedges to squeeze over just before eating.

Nutrition

Per serving

Energy

215.7 kcal

Protein

6.99 g

Carbohydrate

23.93 g

Fat

10.96 g

Fibre

7.42 g

Calcium

52.14 mg

Iron

5.45 mg

Magnesium

64.03 mg