Lentil Soup with Mint
4 servings
30 minutes
No lunch in Turkey, and in some places even breakfast, is complete without lentil soup (also known as mercimek-chorbasi). Its main ingredients are water, red lentils and pepper, usually also red. There are many variations with this chord: the soup is supplemented with tomato paste, onions, carrots, garlic, dried mint, and some even potatoes, and the taste is softened with milk or cream. Red lentils are best suited for this soup, since they quickly boil to a puree state and are easily blended. The finished dish can be sprinkled with lemon juice before serving and garnished with mint - this light chord can transform an ordinary puree soup into a restaurant dish.
1
Pour one liter of water or pre-prepared broth into a small pot and add the rinsed lentils. There's no need to soak them as they cook quite quickly. Place the pot over medium heat.
- Red lentils: 150 g
- Salt: to taste
- Ground black pepper: to taste
2
Grate a small carrot on a coarse grater and finely chop an onion: a small onion is needed. Once the lentils start boiling, reduce the heat, carefully remove the foam that forms with a spoon or skimmer, and then add another 200 ml of water or broth. Cook for another ten minutes.
- Onion: 1 head
- Carrot: 1 piece
- Salt: to taste
- Ground black pepper: to taste
3
Heat a wide flat pan, pour in sunflower oil, and add diced butter. Add onion and sauté for two to three minutes until golden, then add carrot and fry, stirring constantly, for another two to three minutes until the vegetables soften. Sprinkle in flour and continue frying, stirring, for another one and a half to two minutes.
- Onion: 1 head
- Carrot: 1 piece
- Sunflower oil: 30 ml
- Butter: 15 g
- Wheat flour: 30 g
4
Carefully transfer the mixture from the pan to the pot and stir. Add salt and pepper. Remove the pot from the heat. Add cream and gently blend the soup with a hand blender until it becomes a thick puree.
- Cream 33%: 50 ml
- Salt: to taste
- Ground black pepper: to taste
5
Pour the soup into bowls, hang a slice of lemon on the edge, and add a sprig of mint or parsley. You can also add breadsticks. Finally, decorate the soup with drops of cream using a tablespoon.
- Lemon: 0.5 piece
- Mint: to taste