Turkish Red Lentil Soup

Turkish Red Lentil Soup
Serves 4
5 minutes’ preparation, 22 minutes cooking time
Ingredients
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1/2 cup red lentils
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1/2 small onion diced
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1 small carrot diced
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1 celery stick diced
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2 cloves garlic crushed
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1 litre water
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½ can crushed tomatoes or 2 small fresh tomatoes diced
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1 sachet Tomato paste
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¼ tsp Coriander
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¼ tsp Turmeric
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½ tsp Paprika
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¼ tsp cinnamon
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¼ tsp cumin
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1 tsp Veggie stock (Optional, I didn’t use it in the recipe)
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Juice of ½ Lemon
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¼ - ½ tsp Chili flakes or powder
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Optional sumac to top
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Mint and parsley to top
Method
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In the saucepan you’re going to use to cook the soup, dry fry spices minus the sumac, over a low heat for 1-2 minutes or until fragrant.
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Pour 1 litre of boiling water over the spices and add lentils, carrots, celery, onion and garlic. Bring to the boil, lower to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes. NB If using stock add it after the 20 minutes.
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Add in tomatoes and tomato paste, cook until tomato is heated through. Squeeze in lemon juice, taste and adjust seasonings.
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Spoon into bowls and top with sumac and fresh herbs.