Lentil Soup Shakshuka with Garlic Yogurt & Chili Butter

Method

1. Rinse the lentils until the water runs clear. Cut the onion and pepper into 1 cm pieces and chop the garlic (keep a little aside for the yoghurt). Heat the olive oil in a 22 cm frying pan with a lid on medium heat and cook the onion, pepper and garlic for 5 min, until soft.

   Add in this stepOlive oil 1½ tbspOnion ½Red bell pepper ½Garlic cloves 1.4

   medium heat

2. Add the tomato paste, cumin and smoked paprika and stir on medium heat for 1 min until fragrant. Spices burn easily, so keep stirring.

   Add in this stepTomato paste 1 tbspGround cumin ½ tspSmoked paprika ½ tsp

   medium heat

3. Add the lentils, water and salt, bring to the boil on high heat, then lower to medium-low heat and simmer for 15 min, until the lentils break down into a thick porridge. Aim for much thicker than soup: a spoon dragged through should leave a trail for a moment. It sticks easily, so stir every 2–3 minutes, adding a splash of water if it gets too stiff.

   Add in this stepRed lentils 80 gWater 450 mlSalt 0.6 tsp

   high heat→medium-low heat

4. Make one hollow per egg with the back of a spoon and crack an egg into each. Cover and cook on medium-low heat for 6 min, until the whites are completely white and set but the yolks still wobble. If any whites are still clear, give it 1–2 minutes more.

   Add in this stepEggs 4

   medium-low heat

5. While the eggs cook, finely grate the reserved garlic into the Greek yoghurt and mix in a little salt.

   Add in this stepGreek yoghurt 120 gGarlic cloves 0.6Salt ⅛ tsp

6. Melt the butter in a small pan on medium-low heat for 1 min; when it foams, turn off the heat and stir in the chilli flakes. Spoon dollops of garlic yoghurt over the shakshuka, drizzle with the red butter and scatter with chopped parsley. Warm the pita in a dry pan or toaster and serve straight from the pan.

   Add in this stepButter 15 gTurkish chilli flakes (pul biber) ½ tspFlat-leaf parsley 5 gPita bread 2

   medium-low heat