World Flavors Cookbook

Mercimek Çorbası (Red Lentil Soup)

Turkey's most popular soup — velvety red lentils puréed with onion, carrot, and potato, served with a squeeze of lemon and dried mint.

Cuisine: Turkey

Ingredients

• 1.5 cups red lentils
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 carrot, diced
• 1 potato, diced
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 6 cups water or stock
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 tsp cumin
• Salt, pepper, dried mint
• Lemon wedges

Instructions

1. Sauté onion and carrot in butter. Add tomato paste and cook 1 minute.
2. Add lentils, potato, and water. Bring to boil.
3. Simmer 20 minutes until everything is very soft.
4. Blend until smooth. Add cumin, salt, and pepper.
5. Serve with a squeeze of lemon and a sprinkle of dried mint.
6. In Turkey, often drizzled with chili butter (kırmızı biber yağı).