Mercimek Çorbası (Turkish Red Lentil Soup)

Method

1. Put the lentils in a sieve and rinse under running water, rubbing them with your hand, 3–4 times until the water runs almost clear. This removes surface starch and dust, so the soup foams less and tastes cleaner. Peel the onion and carrot and cut into small 1 cm pieces.

2. Heat the olive oil in a 18 cm pot on medium heat and cook the onion and carrot for 5 min, until the onion is translucent and soft. Don't let it brown, or the soup turns a muddy colour.

   Add in this stepOlive oil 1½ tbspOnion 1Carrot (small) ½

   medium heat

3. Add the tomato paste and stir on medium heat for 1 min so it dissolves into the oil. It loses its raw taste and turns a deeper red.

   Add in this stepTomato paste ½ tbsp

   medium heat

4. Add the lentils, water and cumin and bring to the boil on high heat (about 5 min). Skim off the foam that rises, then lower to medium-low heat, cover with the lid slightly ajar and simmer for 20 min, stirring now and then so nothing sticks. It's ready when the lentils have collapsed and the carrot squashes easily against the side with a spoon.

   Add in this stepRed lentils 100 gHot water (or chicken stock) 650 mlGround cumin ½ tsp

   high heat→medium-low heat

5. Turn off the heat and blend until smooth with a stick blender, keeping the blade fully under the surface so the hot soup doesn't splash. If it's too thick, add a little hot water until it flows like cream. Add the salt and pepper and warm on low heat for 2 min, stirring, then taste and adjust.

   Add in this stepSalt ¾ tspBlack pepper 1 pinch

   low heat

6. Melt the butter in a small pan on medium-low heat for 1 min; when it foams, take it off the heat and stir in the chilli flakes and dried mint. Drizzle the red butter over the soup in the bowls and serve with lemon wedges. A squeeze of lemon just before eating brightens it right up.

   Add in this stepButter (to finish) 15 gTurkish chilli flakes (pul biber) ½ tspDried mint ½ tspLemon, cut into wedges ½

   medium-low heat