Turkish Red Lentil Soup

 

Ingredients:

1 1/3 cups (about 8 ounces) red lentils, picked through and rinsed

7 cups water or broth of choice

1/2 Tablespoon coconut oil

1 large onion, diced

1 large carrot, diced

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste

3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, or to taste

1/4 cup packed fresh mint

1/2 lemon

 

Instructions:

In a large pot, heat coconut oil, add onions, and sauté several minutes until soft.  Add lentils, garlic, cumin and cayenne and continue to sauté until fragrant.  Add water, carrot, and tomato paste, and bring to a boil over high heat. Lower heat and simmer, uncovered, until vegetables and very tender and lentils begin to fall apart, about 25 minutes.

 

Remove the pot from the heat and add salt, fresh mint, and juice from the lemon.  Then use an immersion blender to quickly blend the soup until it is creamy but not completely puréed. Or, you can blend about half the soup in a blender at a time.

 

*Adapted from http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipe/turkish-red-lentil-soup