Mercimek Corbasi

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 1 jar Lentils, red
• 1 potato(s)
• 1 onion(s)
• 2 tbsp margarine
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 cube of chicken stock or 1 tsp vegetable stock
• Salt
• 1 tsp mint (Nane)
• Paprika powder, hot
• 5 glasses of water

Instructions

Working time approx. 25 minutes; Total time approx. 25 minutes

Turkish Red Lentil Soup

Rinse the lentils with hot water until the water runs clear. Wash, peel, and dice the potatoes. Do the same with the onion. Bring 5 glasses of water to a boil in a large pot (I use a mustard jar as a measure; it holds the perfect amount). Add the lentils, potatoes, and onions to the pot, add a teaspoon of salt, and cook until the potatoes are tender. Then reduce the heat to low and add the broth. Add 1 teaspoon of mint and season with paprika and salt, if desired. Let it simmer for a short while. Meanwhile, melt the margarine in a small pot, add the tomato paste and a little salt, and mix everything together. Remove the pot with the lentils from the heat and puree everything. Return the pot to the heat, stir in the tomato paste mixture, and bring back to a boil. The tomato paste adds color and flavor, so you can use less or more as desired; we prefer a slightly darker, more flavorful dish. Serve with flatbread and lemon (many people also like it spicy, so feel free to serve it with chili or pul biber from the Turkish supermarket).