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<\/p>\nWith its simple ingredients and soul-warming essence this Turkish Red Lentil Soup \/ Mercimek \u00c7orbas\u0131 is a new favorite at our house. The month of Ramadan is quickly approaching, many cooks will be looking for new soup ideas. Turkish Red Lentil Soup \/ Mercimek \u00c7orbas\u0131 is a one that calms down the hunger, eliminates the tension of the day, and excites the appetite after a long day of fasting, yes, so satisfying, and knowing how nourishing and healthful it is brings another layer of contentment. The soup has been given the thumbs up by friends and guests who had it at my house \u2014 in addition to all its other virtues, it\u2019s vegan and gluten-free.<\/p>\n
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Lentil soups such as\u00a0teta Roro\u2019s brown lentil soup<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Lebanese red lentil<\/a>\u00a0soup<\/strong>\u00a0are ones I often keep on hand when we need a little comfort or a nourishing restoration, plus, they are a must on our Ramadan iftar table. The two soups are often pitted against each other: Folks are divided by either being a brown or red lentil soup lover.\u00a0 I\u00a0 really love them both and its hard to take sides, and I am also proud that those soups have become favorites to lots of readers; but the question was, would I be able to step outside my comfort zone by finding any equally good lentil soup other than those two alongside\u00a0adas bhamod?<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0With this Turkish Red Lentil Soup \/ Mercimek \u00c7orbas\u0131, the answer is a certain proud yes, make it and I promise you\u2019ll sit down to a scrumptious dinner in 40 minutes. It is is a copycat of a soup I had during my last visit to Istanbul, this was a few weeks ago! Ramzi took me to the Atolye restaurant at the Ritz Carlton hotel in Istanbul \u201cYou\u2019re going to eat one of the best soups in the world,\u201d he said.\u00a0 A little while later, a server brought us two giant bowls of a red lentil soup. I took a sip and we sat down to finish it in silence, and I so wished the bowl could last forever \u2014 yes, could not get over how good it was: rich, velvety in texture, with\u00a0a unique flavor profile;\u00a0<\/strong>we\u00a0were able to have a record number of\u00a0Mercimek \u00c7orbas\u0131 at different restaurants during our visit, nothing equates to the one we had at the Ritz.<\/strong><\/p>\n The soup was highlighted in my memory! When I returned back home, I wanted to give Ramzi the same unforgettable experience we had at the Ritz.\u00a0 As an enthusiastic cook\u00a0I was so curious to replicate the same taste and I took it as a serious challenge and a friendly competition with myself to build a new soup skill that is super decadent. After much asking, testing and tasting. I met that goal, and even exceeded it. Yes, I knew the fabled secret formula that lifted the whole soup and added a layer of flavor.\u00a0Who would have guessed that heating dried mint leaves and other aromatic ingredients such as pul biber\/ paprika and cayenne in olive oil would make the soup taste that good. Yes, they are dropped into the hot olive oil. until the fragrance blooms (just a few seconds); the heat and the oil help draw out the aromatic flavors from the herb and spices to create a flavorful concoction, which is poured warm as a finish, and pureed with an immersion blender.\u00a0<\/b>When Ramzi tasted the soup he said:\u201dYou are blessed by a divine culinary power\u201d, coming from a picky-eater husband this meant the world to me!<\/p>\n Red lentils cook fast and lose their shape when tender and turn to a muted yellow-beige when cooked, adding tomato paste to the soup, is not only for its sweet-savory flavor but also for the lovely color it imparts as it brings back that beautiful orange-red hue.)<\/p>\n One of the best things about cooking is experimenting with different flavors and how can a few small tweaks like herbs and spices take the dish to another level. Dried mint leaves, pul biber\/paprika and cayenne in heated olive oil i<\/strong>s one of the most spectacular flavor-building techniques used in Turkish and Middle Eastern cooking. The body and flavor of the Turkish Red Lentil Soup \/ Mercimek \u00c7orbas\u0131\u2019 changes dramatically when the hot mixture is splashed over the soup.<\/p>\n The end result of the soup should be moderately thick and rich but not a stodgy consistency.\u00a0 If for any reason it is too thick, simply add 1\/4 cup of water, it won\u2019t affect the end result of the soup; if the soup turns out thin and a bit watery, let the excess liquid evaporate away by bringing the soup to simmer until the desired consistency.<\/p>\n Add a pinch of freshly grated black pepper and don\u2019t skip the clean zing of lemon, which makes it sing. You can float some croutons on top to give the Turkish red lentil\u00a0 soup some delicious texture, skip this step if you need to keep it gluten free. It is still so great on its own!<\/p>\n To make the croutons<\/strong>: Place 5 or 6 sliced white bread in the freezer for about 15 minutes, this will facilitate the cutting process. Remove from the freezer and cut into small cubes after discarding the edges. Bake in preheated oven to a brown golden color.<\/p>\n Storage:\u00a0<\/b>Refrigerate for up to 4 days, or freeze for upto 2 months. The soup may thicken significantly as it sits. If this happens, add some water before reheating.<\/p>\n Made with pantry staples\u00a0 such as red lentils, onion, rice, olive oil, dried mint, paprika and tomato paste, this Turkish red lentil\u00a0 soup\u00a0and will fuel body and spirit and is super easy to put together\u2014 in about 40 minutes it will be ready –\u00a0 can be made ahead, cooled and refrigerated or frozen.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/hadiaslebanesecuisine.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/katkouta.jpg\")
<\/p>\nBlessed by a divine culinary power, what a compliment!<\/h2>\n
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<\/p>\nIngredients for the Turkish Red Lentil Soup \/ Mercimek \u00c7orbas\u0131<\/h3>\n
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<\/p>\nHow to make the\u00a0Turkish Red Lentil Soup \/ Mercimek \u00c7orbas\u0131!<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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<\/p>\nHeat the dried mint, paprika and cayenne in olive oil<\/h2>\n
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<\/p>\nSoup Consistency!<\/h2>\n
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<\/p>\nHungry for more lentil soups?<\/h2>\n
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