TURKISH RED LENTIL SOUP
Easy Turkish red lentil soup with carrots, Turkish spices, mint. Easy week meal.
INGREDIENTS
For the Soup:
- 1 large carrot, diced
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 large onion, finely diced
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon dried mint
- 8 cups water
- ½ teaspoon thyme or oregano
- 4 teaspoons vegetable broth powder, or replace 4 cups of the water with 4 cups of a prepared vegetable broth
- ½ teaspoon sea salt (or more to taste, depends on the saltiness of your broth)
- 1 cup red lentils
- 1 heaping Tablespoon tomato paste
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (Turkish pul biber is great if you can get it)
For the Paprika Oil:
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1½ teaspoons paprika
- 3 Tablespoons olive oil
INSTRUCTIONS
First, pick your lenses for foreign debris, rinse them 2 or 3 times, drain them and set aside.
Then, in a large saucepan over medium-high heat, sauté the olive oil and onion with a pinch of salt for 3 minutes. Add the carrots and sauté for another 3 minutes.
Add the tomato paste and stir for about 1 minute. Now add the cumin, paprika, mint, thyme, black pepper and red pepper and sauté for 10 seconds to make the spices bloom. Immediately add the lentils, water, broth and salt. Bring the soup to a boil.
After boiling, reduce the heat to medium, cover the pan halfway and cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until the lentils have collapsed and the carrots are cooked through.
Meanwhile, make the paprika oil by mixing the olive oil, paprika and red pepper in a small saucepan over medium heat. As soon as you see the paprika start to bubble, remove the pan from the heat. It is done.
Once the soup is cooked and the lentils are tender, mix the soup in a blender or simply use a hand blender to get the consistency you want. Taste for seasoning and add more salt if necessary.
Serve the soup with a drizzle of paprika oil, lemon wedges and additional mint and red pepper so that everyone can customize it to their taste. Happy Cooking Time.
