Recipe for Turkish Red Lentil Soup

A Turkish soup made from red lentils and vegetables blended until smooth.

Ingredients

• 250 grams red lentils
• 1.5 Liters water
• 1 onion
• 1 carrot
• 1 potato
• 30 milliliters olive oil
• 5 grams salt
• 2 grams cumin

Preparation

1. Sauté the diced onion, carrot, and potato in olive oil until they soften
2. Rinse the red lentils and add them to the pot with the water
3. Bring to a boil then simmer for twenty-five minutes until the lentils dissolve
4. Use an immersion blender to process the soup until it is perfectly smooth
5. Stir in the salt and cumin then simmer for five more minutes total
6. Serve the hot soup with a drizzle of oil and lemon juice

Tips

• Sautéing the vegetables first provides a much sweeter and deeper soup base
• Red lentils cook very quickly and do not need to be soaked
• Garnish with a sprinkle of dried mint for a traditional Turkish finish