Turkish Red Lentil Soup

By ltrodrigu

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 white onion, finely diced
• 1 red bell pepper, finely diced
• 2 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon freshly ground cumin seeds
• 1 1/2 cups red lentils, rinsed and drained
• 8 cups water
• Salt
• 1/4 cup fine ground bulgur
• 1 tablespoon dried mint
• 2 teaspoons red pepper flakes, preferably Aleppo or Maras pepper
• 2 teaspoons sumac (optional)
• 1/4 cup Greek yogurt
• 1/4 cup pomegranate seeds

Details

Servings 4
Adapted from online.wsj.com

Preparation

Step 1

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a medium pot over medium heat. Add onion and bell pepper. Sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomato paste and cumin, and toast until aromatic, 2-3 minutes.

Stir in lentils and water, increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, season with salt and simmer until lentils are tender, 10-15 minutes. Add bulgur and simmer until grains increase in volume and tenderize, about 8 minutes more. (Soup should have the consistency of porridge.) Stir in remaining butter, mint, red pepper flakes and sumac, if using. Once butter melts, season to taste with salt. Ladle soup into bowls and top each serving with a dollop of yogurt and sprinkle of pomegranate seeds.