The Mercimek Çorbası is a Turkish Çorba, a soup made with red lentils and spices.
▶There are more than 300 types of soups in Turkish cuisine, usually named after their main ingredient and prepared in various ways.
▶The basic ingredient of Turkish soup is often sour yogurt, but other common natural ingredients include: lentils, wheat, corn flour, and milk, pieces of meat, chicken, vegetables or grains, tripe, and fish.
▶Soups can be consumed at any time of the day in Turkey and can be served hot or cold depending on the recipe and ingredients.
▶And if a soup is accompanied by plenty of Turkish bread, it can be sufficient for a meal.
On the blog, you can find other “ciorba” recipes, in Bosnian and Romanian versions:
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups red lentils
- 1 onion
- 2 tomatoes
- to taste cumin
- to taste black pepper
- to taste olive oil
- to taste salt
- to taste yogurt
Tools
- 1 Blender immersion
Steps
Soak the lentils in water overnight.
Chop the onion and sauté in olive oil until softened,
Add the tomato and pepper, then rinsed lentils. Mix well.
Cover with water, close the lid, and cook on medium-low heat until lentils are soft.
Blend the lentils with an immersion blender. If the consistency is too thick, add hot water and boil once more until the desired consistency is reached.
Adjust salt and spices.Serve with pita or croutons and a spoonful of yogurt.
