This Egyptian lemony red lentil soup comes from Egypt, but it's a common soup all over North Africa and the Middle East. I often enjoyed it as a first course when I spent time in Lebanon and Syria in the summer of 2009.
Ingredients
- 1 cup dried red lentils
- 2 cups roughly chopped onions
- 2 cups roughly chopped potatoes
- 8-10 garlic cloves, peeled and left whole
- 5 cups water
- 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3-6 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (to taste)
- salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Wash the red lentils in several changes of water, and rinse. Combine the lentils, onion, potatoes, garlic, and water in a large soup pot.
- Cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until everything is tender, 15-20 minutes. Remove from the heat.
- In a small skillet on low heat, warm the oil until it is hot but not smoking. Add the cumin, turmeric, and salt. Cook, stirring constantly, for 2-3 minutes. Take care not to scorch the spices. Add this to the soup.
- Puree the soup with an immersion stick blender until smooth. Add the lemon juice. Reheat gently and season with salt and pepper, and more lemon juice to taste.