Mercimek Çorbası

Rinse the Red Lentils under cold water until the water runs clear. Peel and roughly chop the Onion, Carrot, and Potato.

Heat a tablespoon of Olive Oil and a knob of Butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté until translucent, about 4–5 minutes.

Add the carrot and potato and cook for 3–4 minutes, then stir in a tablespoon each of Tomato Paste and Turkish Red Pepper Paste and cook for 1–2 minutes to remove the raw edge.

Add the rinsed lentils and about 4–5 cups of Water (adjust for desired thickness). Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until the lentils and vegetables are very soft, about 20–25 minutes.

Season the pot with a teaspoon of Ground Cumin, salt to taste (Salt), and a few grinds of Black Pepper.

Use an immersion blender to puree the soup until smooth—leave a little texture if you prefer. If the soup is too thick, add more hot water and reheat briefly.

Prepare the finishing spiced butter: in a small pan warm a little butter and olive oil over low heat, remove from the heat and stir in Sweet Paprika, a pinch of Pul Biber, and a sprinkle of Dried Mint. Allow the spices to bloom in the warm fat for a minute.

Ladle the soup into bowls, drizzle the paprika-mint butter on top, and finish each bowl with a squeeze of Lemon to taste. Serve hot with crusty bread or flatbread.