Kirmizi Mercimek Corbasi

Ingredients

Instructions

1. 1

   Rinse the red lentils under cold water until the water runs mostly clear. Chop the onion and carrot into small pieces so they soften quickly and blend smoothly later.

2. 2

   In a medium pot over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the chopped onion and carrot and cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring often, until the onion is softened but not browned; keeping the vegetables pale gives the soup its classic bright color.

3. 3

   Stir in the tomato paste and ground cumin and cook for 30 seconds to remove the raw taste and bloom the spice without letting it scorch.

4. 4

   Add the rinsed red lentils, water, fine salt, and black pepper. Bring to a boil, then lower to a gentle simmer and cook for 15-18 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the lentils are completely soft and starting to fall apart.

5. 5

   While the soup simmers, make the drizzle: heat the olive oil in a small pan over low heat, add the sweet paprika and dried mint, and stir for 15-20 seconds just until fragrant. Remove from the heat immediately so the paprika does not burn and turn bitter.

6. 6

   Blend the soup until completely smooth using an immersion blender, or carefully blend in batches. If it seems too thick, add a splash of hot water; the finished texture should be silky and pourable, not pasty. Taste and adjust salt if needed.

7. 7

   Ladle into bowls, spoon the paprika-mint drizzle over the top, and serve immediately with lemon wedges for squeezing at the table.

Nutrition per serving

Notes

• •For an even more traditional restaurant-style texture, pass the blended soup through a fine sieve, though this is optional.
• •If you prefer a thinner soup, add 50-100 ml extra hot water after blending.
• •Aleppo pepper can replace part of the sweet paprika for gentle heat, but keep it mild for a classic beginner-friendly version.
• •Serve with crusty bread or simit if desired; this will change the nutrition and allergens.

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