Turkish lentil soup

This fast, easy, and healthy recipe for kırmızı mercimek çorba, or (Turkish) red lentil soup, is one of my family’s favorite. My 8-year old requests it every week. It’s one of several ways that this soup can be made: you can omit the carrots and Hungarian paprika if you prefer, or take more time and strain the soup through a sieve if you like, creating a thinner consistency (which is the way you will usually find it being made in Turkey). You can also add more water to make it less thick and hearty.

Prep time: 15 minutes plus 3 minutes to blend

Cook time: 20-25 minutes

Tools and/or vessels needed: medium saucepan, mini food processor or hand-held blender for soups (this makes the texture of the soup finer than a standard size processor will)

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 1½ cups red lentils·       

• 5 cups (roughly1 ¼ liters) chicken or vegetable stock

• 1 tbsp. butter

• 1 small yellow onion

• ½ cup baby carrots

• 1 tsp. Hungarian paprika

• salt and pepper to taste

Process:

1.      Rinse lentils and set them aside.

2.     Use the food processor to chop the onion, then the carrot.

3.     Fry onion and carrot in butter for 2-3 minutes, adding salt, pepper and Hungarian paprika.

4.    Stir lentils into the onion-carrot mixture.

5.     Add 5 cups/1.25 liters chicken or vegetable stock and bring to a boil.

6.    Turn heat down and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until lentils are soft.

7.     Let cool a couple of minutes, then blend in 2-3 batches in mini food processor or use a hand-held blending tool.

8.    Serve and enjoy!

We sometimes spoon this soup over a bowl of rice and eat it as a main course.

Wine optional!

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