Turkish Red Lentil Soup (Kırmızı Mercimek Çorbası)

While we were in Turkey, we had Lentil Soup almost everyday at least for the first week. So we have had our fair share of some good and bad ones. Luckily there were more good than bad so we enjoyed them thoroughly. Now that holiday in Turkey is over, I am missing this daily soup surge. The only way to overcome this craving is to make it at home. So here is an adapted version of Ozlem's recipe.

Turkish Red Lentil Soup

Adapted from Ozlem's Turkish Table
Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 2 tbs olive oil
• 1 onion (finely chopped)
• 2 cloves garlic
• 300g split red lentils, washed
• 2 tbs bulgur wheat
• 2 cube chicken/ vegetable bouillon
• 2 litre water
• 3 tbs tomato paste
• 20g butter
• 3 tsp dried mint
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp dried red pepper flakes
• freshly ground pepper and salt to taste

    Serve with:

• dried red pepper flakes (for those who like it spicier)
• drizzle of olive oil 
• quartered lemon wedges
• bread (optional)

Method:

1.  Sweat the onions with olive oil until soft.
2.  Add in the red lentils, water and chicken (or vegetable) bouillon and bring to boil.
3.  Turn the heat down and simmer gently for about 30 minutes until lentils are soft.
4.  Stir in the tomato paste, dried mint, pepper flakes and butter and simmer until creamy.
5.  Season with salt and pepper. Serve in a bowl and drizzle some olive oil and dried red pepper flakes.

3.  Serve hot with lemon wedges.

Tips:

• The soup will thicken when cool. So add some water and reheat to thin the soup. 

Nutritional Analysis:

• Low in cholesterol
• Very high in dietary fiber
• High in manganese
• High in thiamin
• Very high in vitamin B6