Patāj-e Adas (پتاژ عدس) — Persian Silky Lentil Velouté

• 220 gRed lentils, dry (rinsed until water runs mostly clear)
• 1200 mlVegetable broth (low-sodium preferred)
• 180 gYellow onion (finely diced)
• 12 gGarlic cloves (minced (about 3 medium cloves))
• 120 gCelery (finely diced (about 2 stalks))
• 140 gCarrots (finely diced (about 2 medium carrots))
• 120 gGreen beans (trimmed and cut into 1 cm pieces; fresh or frozen)
• 100 gGreen peas (fresh or frozen)
• 30 mlExtra-virgin olive oil (about 2 tablespoons)
• 30 gUnsalted butter (about 2 tablespoons)
• 2 tspGround cumin (toasted briefly in the pot)
• 1.25 tspFine sea salt (plus more to taste (adjust if broth is salted))
• 0.5 tspBlack pepper (freshly ground)
• 120 mlHeavy cream (warmed slightly; add at the end)
• 15 mlFresh lemon juice (about 1 tablespoon, to brighten)

Instructions

1. 1

   Rinse the red lentils in a fine-mesh sieve under cool running water for 30–45 seconds, then drain well. Finely dice the onion, celery, and carrots; mince the garlic. If using fresh green beans, trim and cut into 1 cm pieces. Keep peas and beans ready to add later to preserve color and sweetness.

2. 2

   In a heavy pot over medium heat, warm the olive oil and melt the butter together for 1 minute. Add the diced onion and cook 8–10 minutes, stirring often, until soft and translucent but not browned. Stir in the celery and carrots and cook 5 minutes, scraping the bottom so the vegetables sweat evenly.

3. 3

   Add the minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant. Sprinkle in the ground cumin, black pepper, and salt, and toast for 20–30 seconds while stirring. Immediately add the rinsed lentils and pour in the vegetable broth. Increase heat to high and bring to a lively simmer, about 5–7 minutes.

4. 4

   Reduce heat to low, partially cover, and simmer gently for 18–22 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, until the lentils are fully broken down and the carrots are very tender. Add the green beans and peas, then continue simmering 6–8 minutes until the beans are tender and the peas are bright and sweet.

5. 5

   Turn off the heat and let the soup stand 5 minutes to settle. Blend until completely smooth using an immersion blender, 2–3 minutes, or in a countertop blender in batches (do not fill above halfway; vent the lid). For a true velouté texture, pass the blended soup through a fine sieve, pressing with a ladle.

6. 6

   Return the sieved soup to the pot over low heat. Stir in the warmed cream and gently heat 2–3 minutes without boiling (boiling can dull the flavor and slightly split cream). Stir in the lemon juice, then taste and adjust salt. If too thick, add 60–120 ml hot broth or water to reach a silky, pourable consistency.