Ezogelin Soup - Red Lentils Soup

Turkish meals often start with soup, and in some parts of Turkey,  a hearty bowl of soup is breakfast. One of the more popular soups in Turkey is Ezogelin çorbası – a traditional Turkish soup made with red lentils and tomato. Moreover, this soup has a famous backstory – it’s the recipe of an unhappy, married woman named Enzo who created this soup so that her mother-in-law would like her.

 

Ezogelin çorbası is thick and rich in protein and fiber, and can be made flavourful with spices and herbs. Follow this easy recipe to make Ezogelin çorbası a delightful addition to your Turkish meal.

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 40 minutes

Serves: 4

Equipment: Stove top, blender

Ingredients:

• 1 garlic clove chopped or grated
• 1 onion chopped
• 1½ tablespoon butter
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• ½ cup red lentils, drained and rinsed
• 3½ cups chicken stock
• Salt and ground black pepper
• ½ teaspoon dried mint
• ½ teaspoon chilli flakes
• 1¼ cup boiling water

Instructions:

1. With low heat, add the butter, garlic and onion to the pan and slowly mix together.
2. Add the tomato paste and cook for 3 minutes.
3. Add the bulgur, lentils and the chicken stock and bring the mixture to a boil.
4. Let it simmer for 30 minutes and stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
5. Once the lentils are soft, turn off the heat and let the mixture cool down for a bit.
6. Add the mixture to the blender and blend until it is smooth and consistent.
7. Taste the soup and season with salt and pepper.
8. Serve the soup with chilli flakes and dried mint.

Let us know in the comments if you've tried making this soup :) You can also check out our range of instant Turkish soups here.