Mercimek Corbasi

Ingredients for 6 servings:

• 500 g lentils, red
• 2 m.-sized onion(s)
• 1 large potato(s)
• 1 large carrot(s)
• 2 medium-sized garlic cloves
• 1 tsp, heaped vegetable broth or chicken broth
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 ½ tsp salt
• 1 tbsp mint (nana), fresh, chopped
• 1 tbsp basil or parsley, freshly chopped
• 2 ½ tbsp butter
• ½ tbsp paprika powder, sweet
• ½ tbsp paprika powder, hot
• 1 ½ tbsp tomato paste
• 2 liters of water

Instructions

Working time approx. 50 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 45 minutes; Total time approx. 1 hour 35 minutes

Turkish lentil soup made from red lentils

This is the standard soup in Turkish home and restaurant cooking. If you don’t have fresh herbs, you can use dried ones, but only a heaped teaspoon. Mint from a tea bag also works. Wash the lentils thoroughly several times with cold water to remove the starch; otherwise, it won’t be a soup, but a porridge. Peel and trim the potatoes, carrots, onions, and garlic, and chop or grate them as finely as possible. Bring the water to a boil and add the vegetables, lentils, salt, pepper, and broth to the pot. Cover and simmer over low heat for 1/2 hour. Stir frequently to prevent the lentils from sticking to the bottom of the pot. If the soup becomes too thick (this sometimes depends on the starch content of the potatoes and lentils), carefully add a little water. The soup should be slightly thick and creamy. After half an hour, melt the butter over medium heat, add the tomato paste and herbs, and fry for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly. Nothing should turn brown or black. Add to the soup and cook for another 5-10 minutes. Then blend the soup until smooth with a hand blender and season again with salt and pepper. Have a lemon and a chili grinder at the table, as some people like it slightly sour and a bit spicy. Serve with flatbread, rolls, baguette, ciabatta, or even toast in a pinch.