Turkish Red lentil soup
December 14, 2013
WSJ dec 2013 (Ana Sortun) 35 min Serves 4-6
3 TB butter
1 onion finely minced
1 red pepper finely diced (or cabbage/pumpkin/carrot/apple or squash)
2½ TB tomato paste
1 TB ground cumin seeds
1 ½ C red lentils (rinsed and drained)
8 C water
salt
¼ C fine ground bulgar
1 TB dried spearmint (not fresh)
2 tsp red pepper flakes or Aleppo (or Maras) pepper
2 tsp sumac (optional)
¼ C Greek yogurt
¼ C pomegranate seeds
- Melt 1 TB butter in pot, on medium heat, sauté onion & red pepper until softened (5 min)
- Stir in tomato paste and cumin, cook 2-3 min until aromatic
- Add lentils & water, bring to a boil, reduce and simmer 10-15 min until lentils tender
- Add bulgar, simmer 8 min until grains increase in volume (consistency of porridge)
- Add remaining butter, mint,red pepper and sumac. Once butter melts, salt to taste.
- Ladle soup into bowls, top with dollop yogurt, sprinkle pomegranate seeds.