Turkish lentil soup
This is an incredibly easy soup to make and, even made with stock cubes, it is at least as good as any commercial soup you can buy. But made with a flavourful homemade stock (chicken for preference, though vegetable will happily suffice) it becomes so much better!
Typically this soup is served with chunks of lemon to squeeze into it, but I prefer to serve it with warm pita bread and a plate of olives marinated in lemon juice, olive oil, and garlic.
Serves 4 - 6; more if the portions are small, such as in a soup course for an elaborate meal.
Ingredients
1 onion, finely chopped
1 - 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 heaped teaspoon paprika (smoked for preference)
a good 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
a good 3/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1 medium carrot, grated
1 good tablespoon tomato puree (tomato paste)
1 cup red lentils
6 cups homemade stock (chicken for preference)
or
6 cups of water plus 2 stock cubes
salt and pepper to taste
Method
1.
Fry the onion in oil until it's translucent. Add the paprika, cumin and coriander and fry for a minute or so before adding the grated carrot. When the carrot begins to wilt, add the tomato puree and cook for a further two minutes.
2.
Stir in the lentils then add six cups of stock (or the water and the crumbled stock cubes). If you don't have the full six cups of stock, make up the difference with water.
Bring to the boil, then simmer for 35 - 40 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes so the lentils don't "catch" on the base of the pan.
Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
3.
Serve with warm pita bread and a generous portion of olives marinated in lemon juice, olive oil, and garlic.
Any questions? You can use the comments form at the bottom of the page.
Did you know?
You'll find recipes at the back of all the books in the Send for Octavius Guy series: