Mercimek çorbası with bread and dried mint

Ingredients

For 1 serving

• Red lentils80 g
• Onion60 g
• Carrots70 g
• Potatoes80 g
• Tomato paste10 g
• Cumin1 teaspoon
• Dried mint1 teaspoon
• Paprika1 pinch
• Extra virgin olive oil10 g
• Lemon0.5
• Whole wheat bread1
• Saltto taste

Contains: gluten,

In season: October – March

Method

1. Rinse the red lentils. Chop the onion, peel the carrot and potato and cut them into pieces of about 1 cm.
2. Heat half the extra virgin olive oil in a pan over medium heat and fry the onion, carrot and potato for 5 minutes, until the onion is soft; add the tomato purée and stir for 1 minute.
3. Add the lentils, cumin and about six times the lentils' volume in water, bring to the boil and simmer over medium-low heat for 25 minutes, skimming, until everything is very soft.
4. Blend with a stick blender to a smooth soup, season with salt and, if too thick, loosen with a little hot water.
5. In a small pan heat the remaining oil over medium heat with the dried mint and paprika for 30 seconds, until sizzling and fragrant; pour it over the soup and serve with lemon wedges and the wholemeal bread.