Mercimek Çorbası

Name: Mercimek Çorbası
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients: 300 g Red lentils, rinsed; 1 Yellow onion, chopped; 1 Carrots, chopped; 2 tbsp Unsalted butter, for the soup base; 1 tbsp Tomato paste; 1 tsp Ground cumin; 6 cups Vegetable broth; 1 tsp Table salt; ¼ tsp Ground black pepper; 2 tbsp Unsalted butter, for the paprika butter; 1 tsp Paprika; ½ tsp Crushed red pepper flakes; 1 Lemon, cut into wedges

45 minServes 6$40.41

Red lentils, onion, and carrot simmer in vegetable broth with tomato paste and cumin until soft, are blended smooth, and are finished with paprika-and-chili butter and lemon.

Ingredients

300 gRed lentilsrinsedBuy 1 bag
1Yellow onionchoppedBuy 0.32 lb
1CarrotschoppedBuy 0.14 lb
2 tbspUnsalted butterfor the soup baseBuy 1 package
1 tbspTomato pasteBuy 1 can
1 tspGround cuminBuy 1 jar
6 cupsVegetable brothBuy 2 cartons
1 tspTable saltBuy 1 canister
¼ tspGround black pepperBuy 1 jar
2 tbspUnsalted butterfor the paprika butter
1 tspPaprikaBuy 1 jar
½ tspCrushed red pepper flakesBuy 1 jar
1Lemoncut into wedges

Substitution

Crushed red pepper flakes in place of “Turkish pul biber (Aleppo-style pepper flakes)”. Crushed red pepper flakes are used because pul biber is not a canonical ingredient; they are hotter and less fruity.

Method

Melt 2 tbsp butter in a pot and cook the onion and carrot until soft, about 8 minutes.
Stir in the tomato paste and cumin for 1 minute.
Add the lentils, broth, salt, and pepper; simmer until the lentils are very soft, about 25 minutes.
Blend the soup until smooth, thinning with water if needed.
Melt the remaining butter with the paprika and chili flakes and drizzle over each bowl; serve with lemon wedges.