Mediterranean lentil soup

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 1 zucchini
• 2 tomatoes
• 2 onions
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 liter of water
• 5 tbsp vegetable broth, granulated
• 5 pinches of tomato paste
• 3 pinches of paprika paste
• 2 pinches of sambal oelek
• 1 bag/s lentils, red, peeled
• 1 jar white beans (or kidney beans)
• 3 potatoes
• Salt
• Cayenne pepper
• Sugar
• Thyme
• rosemary
• Herbs of Provence
• n. B. cornstarch
• some parsley, chopped

Instructions

Working time approx. 40 minutes; Total time approx. 40 minutes

a treat for warm and cold days

Wash or peel the zucchini, tomatoes, onions, and potatoes and cut into small cubes. Peel the garlic clove and, for flavor, press it in a garlic press instead of dicing it. Place the zucchini, tomatoes, onions, and garlic cloves in a pot of boiling water (add a carrot if desired). Boil for about 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to low. Add the vegetable stock, tomato and bell pepper paste, and sambal oelek to the water. Simmer for another 5 minutes. Add salt, cayenne pepper, thyme, and rosemary. Season with sugar and Provençal herbs. Add the diced potatoes and simmer for about 5 minutes. Then add the red lentils (check the cooking time on the bag; it usually takes about 10 minutes). Then add the beans from the jar (they don’t need to be cooked any further; they just need to be reheated). Simmer until the starch from the potatoes, lentils, and beans has released (takes about 10-15 minutes). Thicken with cornstarch if needed, and finally season to taste (paying particular attention to the sugar-to-acid ratio). Serve sprinkled with a little finely chopped parsley. Note: This soup—almost a stew—is prepared without fat.