Mercimek Çorbası (Mercimek Çorbası) — Classic Turkish Red Lentil Soup

• 250 gred lentils, rinsed (split red lentils)
• 200 gyellow onion, finely diced
• 120 gcarrot, peeled and diced
• 150 gpotato, peeled and diced (optional but traditional for extra body)
• 20 gtomato paste (about 1 tbsp)
• 15 mlolive oil (about 1 tbsp)
• 30 gunsalted butter (for the traditional butter-paprika drizzle)
• 8 gall-purpose flour (about 1 tbsp; helps the butter drizzle cling)
• 2 tspAleppo pepper (or mild pul biber)
• 1 tspsweet paprika
• 2 tspground cumin (a classic pairing with lentils)
• 10 gfine sea salt (start with 8 g, adjust with remaining 2 g after blending)
• 1500 mlwater
• 30 mlfresh lemon juice (about 2 tbsp)
• 6 wedgelemon wedges
• 1 tspdried mint (optional, common at the table)

Instructions

1. 1

   Rinse the red lentils under cold water until the water runs mostly clear, then drain well. Dice the onion, carrot, and potato into small, even pieces so they soften at the same rate.

2. 2

   Heat the olive oil in a medium pot over medium heat, then add the diced onion. Cook for 6 minutes, stirring often, until the onion turns translucent and lightly sweet but not browned.

3. 3

   Add the carrot and potato and cook for 4 minutes, stirring to coat the vegetables in the oil. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute to remove its raw taste and deepen the color.

4. 4

   Add the rinsed lentils, water, ground cumin, and 8 g of the salt, then stir thoroughly. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a steady simmer and partially cover the pot.

5. 5

   Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring every few minutes to prevent lentils from sticking to the bottom. The soup is ready to blend when the lentils are fully broken down and the vegetables are very tender.

6. 6

   Blend the soup until completely smooth using an immersion blender, or carefully in a countertop blender in batches. Return the soup to the pot and simmer for 3 minutes, then adjust thickness with up to 150 ml additional water if you prefer it lighter.

7. 7

   Taste and add the remaining 2 g salt if needed, then keep the soup on very low heat. In a small pan, melt the butter over medium-low heat and whisk in the flour for 30 seconds to form a light roux.

8. 8

   Add the Aleppo pepper and paprika to the butter mixture and cook for 20–30 seconds, just until fragrant; do not let the spices scorch. Immediately drizzle the red butter over the soup and gently swirl, then serve with lemon juice, lemon wedges, and dried mint at the table.