Turkish Lentil Soup

Name: Turkish Lentil Soup (Mercimek Corbasi)
Yield: 8
Cuisine: Turkish
Ingredients: ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil; 1 red onion, finely chopped; Salt flakes, to taste; 2 Roma tomatoes, finely chopped; ¼ teaspoon Aleppo pepper chilli flakes; 2½ cups (500g) red lentils; 2 litres water; 1 teaspoon dried mint; ½ teaspoon chilli paste; 1 lemon, cut into wedges; Bread, for serving

I lived on this delicious lentil soup when I was in Turkey for three months in 1988. My recipe is adapted from one that I had on the Black Sea coast made by a young lady called Zerrin. A Turkish friend translated for me as she told us how to make it but, like many cooks, Zerrin held back one secret ingredient. Years later I tasted a Turkish lentil soup from a stall at Frenchs Forest markets and realised what had been missing from mine – the aroma and flavour of dried mint took me straight back to Turkey! Enjoy it with a cold glass of Brash Higgins wild-ferment CHN chenin blanc, the balanced acidity is a perfect foil for the earthy lentils. Afiyet olsun!

Serves 4 as a starter

Ingredients

⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 small red onion, finely chopped
Salt flakes, to taste
100g ripe tomatoes, finely chopped
½ teaspoon Aleppo pepper chilli flakes (see below)
250g red lentils
1 litre water
1 teaspoon dried mint
Lemon wedges, for serving
Bread, for serving

Aleppo pepper (pul biber in Turkish) has quite a mild heat, if it’s unavailable use any mild chilli flakes, or just a pinch of a hotter chilli.

Method

Heat half the oil in a saucepan over low heat.
Add onion and a good pinch of salt, cover and cook for 5-10 minutes, until soft but not coloured.
Stir in tomato and a good pinch of Aleppo pepper and cook for a further minute or so.
Stir in lentils and water and bring to the boil.
Reduce heat and simmer for about 20 minutes, until lentils are soft.
Remove from heat, taste and add more salt if necessary. Stir in mint and some more Aleppo pepper if you like, cover and set aside for 10 minutes or so.
Puree with a stick blender, leaving a little texture. Taste and add salt.
Place remaining oil and remaining Aleppo pepper in a small saucepan over low heat for a few minutes, until oil turns red.
Ladle soup into bowls, drizzle with a little red oil and serve with remaining oil, lemon wedges, salt and bread on the side.