Soup-e Dal Adas (سوپ دال عدس) — Southern Persian Red Lentil Soup

• 2 tbspolive oil (about 2 tbsp)
• 7.1 ozyellow onion, finely diced
• 4¼ ozcelery, finely diced (about 2 large stalks)
• 5.3 ozcarrots, finely diced (about 2 medium carrots)
• 12 ggarlic, minced (about 4 cloves)
• 2 tspground cumin
• 1 tspground turmeric
• ½ tspblack pepper
• 1½ tspfine sea salt (about 9 g)
• 8.8 ozpotato, peeled and small-diced (about 1 medium potato)
• 10.5 ozred lentils, rinsed (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 6⅓ cupchicken broth (low-sodium preferred)
• 2 leafbay leaves
• ¼ cuplemon juice, freshly squeezed (from 2 large lemons)
• 2 tsplemon zest (from 1 lemon)
• 1.1 cupwater (use only if needed to thin)

Instructions

1. 1

   Rinse the red lentils in a fine-mesh sieve under cold water until the water runs mostly clear. Drain well and set aside so they don’t dilute the sautéed base.

2. 2

   Heat the olive oil in a heavy pot over medium heat for 1 minute. Add the onion, celery, and carrots, then cook for 8–10 minutes, stirring often, until the onion turns translucent and the vegetables soften without browning.

3. 3

   Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 60 seconds until fragrant. Add cumin, turmeric, black pepper, and salt, and stir for 30 seconds to toast the spices and bloom their aroma in the oil.

4. 4

   Add the diced potato and the rinsed red lentils, then stir to coat them in the spiced vegetable mixture. Pour in the chicken broth and add the bay leaves, scraping the bottom of the pot to release any flavorful bits.

5. 5

   Bring the soup to a gentle boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a steady simmer. Cover partially and cook for 25–30 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, until the lentils fully break down and the potato is very tender.

6. 6

   Remove and discard the bay leaves. Blend the soup with an immersion blender until velvety-smooth, or blend in batches in a countertop blender, then return it to the pot.

7. 7

   Adjust the consistency by simmering uncovered for 5 minutes to thicken, or add up to 250 ml water to thin if it feels too dense. Turn off the heat, then stir in the lemon juice and lemon zest so the citrus stays bright and fresh.

8. 8

   Let the soup rest for 5 minutes so the flavors settle and the texture becomes silky. Ladle into bowls and serve hot, adding an extra 5 ml lemon juice per bowl if you want a sharper tang.