Lebanese-style red lentil soup

Ingredients for 6 servings:

• 2 cup(s) Lentils, red
• 2 onions, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp oil or clarified butter
• 1 chicken (roast chicken) or
• Soup chicken
• 1 ½ liters vegetable broth
• ½ tsp cumin, to taste
• 1 lemon(s) or lime

Instructions

Working time approx. 20 minutes; Total time approx. 20 minutes

a soup from southern Lebanon

Cook the cleaned chicken or hen in the broth until tender, then remove and let cool. Remove the meat from the bones and cut into bite-sized pieces. Let the broth cool and skim off any fat from the surface. In a saucepan, sauté the chopped onions and garlic in the oil or clarified butter until translucent. Add the red lentils, sauté briefly, and pour in enough broth to cover the lentils. Bring to a boil, then simmer gently. Stir frequently, and add more broth as the broth is reduced. Continue this process until the lentils have become a porridge. The consistency should be thick in the end. Adjust this by adding more broth. Once the lentils are cooked, add the chicken and heat through. Season the soup with cumin. Adjust seasoning if desired, but it’s best to season the broth at the beginning. Serve the soup in soup bowls or plates. Serve with a slice of lemon or lime. Then add a few drops to the soup.