Egyptian Red Lentil Soup

Egyptian Red Lentil Soup

The winter soup that keeps Egyptians warm throughout the season. Flavored with cumin, and heavy on garlic and lemon juice, it’s a comforting dish that takes little effort to put together. You likely have all the ingredients in your kitchen already. Serve with a lemon wedge and toasted pita bread.

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 1 yellow onion (chopped)

• 3 garlic cloves (chopped)

• 1 tomato (chopped)

• 1/4 cup carrot (peeled and chopped)

• 1 medium sized potato (peeled and chopped)

• 1 1/2 cups dry red lentils (rinsed)

• 5 1/2 cups water

• 1 1/2 tsps cumin powder

• 1 tsp salt (or to taste)

• 1/4 tsp black pepper (or to taste)

• 1/4 cup lemon juice (fresh; more or less to taste)

Method:

• Heat the olive oil in a large pot on low-medium heat. Add the onions, sauté for approximately four minutes, or until translucent.

• Add garlic, and sauté for 1-2 minutes further, stirring frequently to ensure they do not burn.

• Add in the tomato, carrots and potato, and sauté for another minute.

• Add in the lentils and water.

• Increase the heat, and bring the soup to a boil.

• Once the water is boiling, lower the heat so that it is simmering, but not boiling over.

• Cook for 20-25 minutes (until the lentils and vegetables are cooked through).

• Once the vegetables are cooked through, remove from heat, add in the cumin powder, salt, and pepper. Allow to cool.

• Once cool, puree with an immersion blender until the soup is completely smooth. This may take a couple of minutes.

• Add in the lemon juice. Taste for seasoning, and adjust to taste.

• Serve hot.

NOTES:

Note on chopped vegetable size

This soup will be pureed, so the size of the chopped vegetables is not very important. However, the smaller you chop them (potatoes and carrots, especially), the quicker your soup will be ready.

The taste you are going for

This quintessential Egyptian soup is heavy on the cumin and the lemon.