Turkish Red Lentil Soup (Mercimek Çorbası with Chili Butter, Dried Mint and Lemon)

Mercimek çorbası (Turkish red lentil soup) is the everyday soup of Turkey, served in homes, lokantas and at breakfast counters alike. It is a smooth, golden purée of red lentils cooked with onion, carrot and potato, warmed with cumin and paprika, and finished at the table with a spoonful of sizzling chili butter, a pinch of dried mint and plenty of lemon. When the weather cools, it is the fastest route to a hot, filling bowl: everything comes from the pantry and the whole pot is ready in about 40 minutes.

Three details separate a good mercimek from a bland one. Red lentils cook down completely in 20 to 25 minutes, so the soup needs no cream or flour to turn velvety; a small potato adds body and a carrot adds sweetness. The tomato paste and spices are fried in the oil for a minute before the liquid goes in, which deepens their flavor. And the finish matters as much as the soup: hot butter infused with pul biber (Aleppo-style chili flakes) and dried mint, plus a hard squeeze of lemon, wakes everything up. Swap the butter for olive oil and the soup is naturally vegan.

Ingredients

• 250 g (1 1/4 cups) split red lentils, rinsed until the water runs clear
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion (about 150 g / 5 oz), finely chopped
• 1 medium carrot (about 100 g / 3.5 oz), diced
• 1 medium potato (about 150 g / 5 oz), peeled and diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon pul biber (Aleppo pepper) or mild chili flakes, plus 1 teaspoon for the drizzle
• 1.2 liters (5 cups) vegetable stock or water
• 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 30 g (2 tablespoons) butter, or 2 tablespoons olive oil for a vegan version
• 1 teaspoon dried mint
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges

Instructions

1. Heat the olive oil in a 3 to 4 liter pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring often, until soft and translucent but not browned.
2. Add the carrot and potato and cook for 3 minutes, then add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more, until fragrant.
3. Stir in the tomato paste, cumin, paprika and 1/2 teaspoon of pul biber. Fry for 1 minute, stirring constantly, until the paste darkens slightly and the spices smell toasty.
4. Add the rinsed lentils, the stock and the salt. Bring to a boil, skim off any foam that rises, then reduce the heat to low. Simmer, partly covered, for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring now and then so the lentils do not stick, until the lentils have collapsed and the potato is completely soft.
5. Remove from the heat and blend with an immersion blender for 1 to 2 minutes until completely smooth. (Or blend in batches in a countertop blender, filling it no more than halfway.) If the soup is thicker than heavy cream, thin it with hot water, 100 ml (scant 1/2 cup) at a time.
6. Return the pot to low heat, taste and adjust the salt and pepper, then simmer for 2 minutes more. The soup should be pourable but thick enough to coat a spoon.
7. Make the drizzle just before serving: melt the butter (or heat the olive oil) in a small pan over medium heat. When it foams, add 1 teaspoon of pul biber and the dried mint and swirl for 20 to 30 seconds, until the butter turns red and smells nutty. Pull it off the heat immediately so the mint does not burn.
8. Ladle the soup into bowls, spoon the chili butter over each one and serve with lemon wedges for squeezing at the table, plus warm bread.

Tips

• Rinse the lentils well and skim the foam in step 4; both steps keep the soup clean-tasting and prevent it from boiling over.
• Substitutions: if you cannot find pul biber, use half the amount of regular chili flakes or a big pinch of smoked paprika for color without much heat. Dried oregano can stand in for dried mint, and a small sweet potato works instead of the regular potato. For the vegan version, use olive oil for both the sautéing and the drizzle.
• Storage: the soup keeps in the fridge for up to 4 days and freezes well for up to 3 months. It thickens as it cools, so reheat gently with a splash of water and make the chili butter fresh each time.
• Serve it as the Turks do, with crusty bread or warm pide, lemon wedges and extra pul biber on the table. It makes a light supper on its own or a first course before grilled meatballs (köfte), rice pilaf or a chopped shepherd's salad.
• Do not skip the lemon. Red lentils taste flat and earthy without acid; a good squeeze per bowl is what makes the soup taste bright and finished.
• For a richer, restaurant-style texture, stir 1 tablespoon of butter into the blended soup before the final simmer, or blend in 100 ml (scant 1/2 cup) of milk.

Nutrition

Nutrition information is an estimate only: about 320 kcal, 16 g protein, 11 g fat, 42 g carbohydrate per serving (made with butter; slightly less saturated fat with olive oil).