Ezogelin Soup (عزۆگەلین چورباسی) — Turkish red lentil soup with bulgur and mint

• 200 gred lentils, rinsed
• 50 gfine bulgur
• 30 glong-grain rice, rinsed
• 150 gyellow onion, finely diced
• 10 ggarlic cloves, minced (about 2 cloves)
• 30 gtomato paste (about 2 tbsp)
• 15 gred pepper paste (about 1 tbsp)
• 30 gunsalted butter
• 15 mlolive oil
• 6 gdried mint (about 2 tsp)
• 2 gAleppo pepper flakes (about 1 tsp)
• 2 gsweet paprika (about 1 tsp)
• 2 gground cumin (about 1 tsp)
• 10 gfine sea salt
• 1 gblack pepper, freshly ground (about 1/2 tsp)
• 1500 mlwater
• 6 wedgelemon wedges (for serving)

Instructions

1. 1

   Rinse the red lentils until the water runs mostly clear, then drain well. Rinse the rice and set it aside, and measure the bulgur so it is ready to add quickly.

2. 2

   Set a heavy pot over medium heat and add the diced onion with 15 ml of water from the measured amount. Cook for 6–8 minutes, stirring often, until the onion softens and turns translucent without browning.

3. 3

   Add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly so it does not scorch. Stir in the tomato paste and red pepper paste and cook for 2 minutes to caramelize the pastes slightly and deepen their flavor.

4. 4

   Add the rinsed lentils, rice, and bulgur to the pot and stir to coat them in the onion-and-paste mixture. Pour in the remaining water to reach 1500 ml total, then bring the soup to a steady boil.

5. 5

   Reduce the heat to low, partially cover, and simmer for 25–30 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes to prevent sticking. The soup is ready for blending when the lentils are fully broken down and the rice grains are very soft.

6. 6

   Blend the soup until smooth using an immersion blender, keeping the pot on low heat to avoid splashing. If using a countertop blender, blend in batches and return to the pot, then simmer for 5 minutes to re-unify the texture.

7. 7

   Stir in the cumin, salt, and black pepper, and simmer for 3 minutes so the spices bloom in the hot soup. Adjust thickness by adding 50–150 ml additional hot water only if needed, keeping the soup velvety rather than watery.

8. 8

   Make the mint-paprika butter: in a small pan, melt the butter with the olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the dried mint, Aleppo pepper, and paprika and cook for 45–60 seconds until fragrant, then immediately remove from heat to prevent bitterness.

9. 9

   Ladle the soup into bowls and drizzle each serving with a measured spoonful of the mint-paprika butter. Serve with one lemon wedge per bowl and instruct diners to squeeze it in just before eating for the classic Ezogelin brightness.