Corba

Side · Turkish classic.

Ingredients

• 1 cup Lentils
• 1 large Onion
• 1 large Carrots
• 1 tbs Tomato Puree
• 2 tsp Cumin
• 1 tsp Paprika
• 1/2 tsp Mint
• 1/2 tsp Thyme
• 1/4 tsp Black Pepper
• 1/4 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
• 4 cups Vegetable Stock
• 1 cup Water
• Pinch Sea Salt

Method

1. Drain — Pick through your lentils for any foreign debris, rinse them 2 or 3 times, drain, and set aside.
2. Continue cooking — Fair warning, this will probably turn your lentils into a solid block that you’ll have to break up later
3. Heat the pan — In a large pot over medium-high heat, sauté the olive oil and the onion with a pinch of salt for about 3 minutes, then add the carrots and cook for another 3 minutes.
4. Stir — Add the tomato paste and stir it around for around 1 minute.
5. Stir — Now add the cumin, paprika, mint, thyme, black pepper, and red pepper as quickly as you can and stir for 10 seconds to bloom the spices.
6. Continue cooking — Congratulate yourself on how amazing your house now smells.
7. Add ingredients — Immediately add the lentils, water, broth, and salt.
8. Bring to a boil — Bring the soup to a (gentle) boil. After it has come to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, cover the pot halfway, and cook for 15-20 minutes or until the lentils have fallen apart and the carrots are completely cooked.
9. Blend — After the soup has cooked and the lentils are tender, blend the soup either in a blender or simply use a hand blender to reach the consistency you desire.
10. Season — Taste for seasoning and add more salt if necessary.
11. Serve — Serve with crushed-up crackers, torn up bread, or something else to add some extra thickness.
12. Add ingredients — You could also use a traditional thickener (like cornstarch or flour), but I prefer to add crackers for some texture and saltiness.

More Turkey recipes

• Adana Kebab
• Lahmacun
• Mantı
• İskender Kebab
• Cheese Pide
• Stuffed Peppers