Mercimek Corbasi
Turkey
50 Minutes
The Mercimek Çorbası is a spicy lentil soup, which is gladly eaten in Turkey. As so often, every household has its own recipe for this Turkish lentil soup. The main ingredient is lentils, of course, but other flavors such as lemon and mint also lend a light oriental touch to this report.
In this recipe, I would like to show you my version of the Mercimek Corbasi.
The Mercimek Çorbası is a spicy lentil soup, which is gladly eaten in Turkey. As so often, every household has its own recipe for this Turkish lentil soup. The main ingredient is lentils, of course, but other flavors such as lemon and mint also lend a light oriental touch to this report.
In this recipe, I would like to show you my version of the Mercimek Corbasi.
Mercimek Çorbası – Turkish Lentil Soup
A few years ago I tried this Turkish lentil soup for the first time during a trip to Istanbul. Because it was so delicious, I wanted to recreate this touch of the Orient at home and read up on various recipes.
However, there is not the typical original recipe as every household cooks its own version and there are thousands of them. I liked the version of the makers of „Koch-Dich-Türkisch“ best, because it was so easy. I slightly modified this one and the result is this recipe from Mercimek Çorbası.
Ingredients for Mercimek Corbasi
- 200-250g red lentils*
- 1 large potato (200g)
- 1 carrot
- 2 small cloves of garlic
- 1 onion
- 1-2 tablespoons tomato paste
- Some butter
- Some lemon
- 1 teaspoon mint (dried)*
- 1 teaspoon of Pul Biber* (separated chili flakes)
Preparation of Mercimek Corbasi
1. Peel the potato, carrot, onion and garlic and cut them into small cubes. The smaller you cut them, the faster they are cooked.
2. Bring about 1.5 liters of water to a boil and then add the chopped vegetables and red lentils. Let everything simmer for about 25-30 minutes. You can also season with salt and pepper. With 1.5 liters the soup will be quite creamy. If you like it more liquid, take a little more.
3. While the soup simmers, heat 1-2 tablespoons of butter in a small pot. Add a tablespoon of tomato paste and about 1-2 teaspoons of the dried mint and let it sweat. Also, add some Pul Biber. This is the Turkish name for ground, dried chili. If you like it hotter, take a little more. I recommend 1 tsp.
4. When the vegetables are cooked, puree the soup again well and then add the butter-spice mixture.
5. Season the soup with salt, pepper and a little lemon juice and serve. In Turkey, a lemon wedge is still served with the soup, so that everyone can taste individually. Bon appetite.
Mercimek Çorbası – My conclusion
Once a good Mercimek Çorbası should not be missing on any visit to Turkey. With this recipe, you can get a little bit of the orient into your kitchen at home.
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Hey, we are Pragya and Henrik, the creative minds behind Fernweh Koch. As passionate travelers with a big appetite, we discover the world, always looking for great destinations and delicious food. If you want more information and impressions, please follow us on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram. Just click on the respective picture below. You can also find Fernweh-Koch at Bloglovin and Flipboard.
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