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Lentil Soup

story said:
I started out with the recipe in Diet for a Small Planet, a book I used a lot before the internet.


Recipe is here



I‘ve strayed from this and made my own adjustments over the years, and read and tried versions I’ve seen online and had it cooked by other people. I’ve had bad versions, and fantastic versions I’ve tried and failed to recreate. Like any of these traditional ancient dishes I wouldn’t say there’s a definitve version. But that one I’ve linked to is the first one I had cooked for me, and it inspired me to buy the book and make it myself.



This looks like a good step by step guide too. More detail than the one above
www.themediterraneandish.com

Authentic Mujadara (Lentils and Rice with Crispy Onions) | The Mediterranean Dish

Mujadara is a signature Middle Eastern dish of lentils and rice w/ crispy fried onions. Popular flavor-packed dish. Makes for a healthy feast! Vegan, GF
www.themediterraneandish.com www.themediterraneandish.com


ETA
It may be nostalgia and association because this is the way I had it the very first time: my favourite accompaniment for this dish is just crispy cos lettuce with olive oil and lemon dressing.
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Not too different to koshari:)
 
The Mauritians do a black lentil soup that I've always found incredibly moreish. Moreso than dahl and things like that.
 
Well, inspired by this thread I cooked a lentil soup for tonight's meal.

Onions
Potatoes
Celery
Garlic
Olive oil
Butter
Ground cumin
Ground coriander
Black pepper
Celery salt

Once they were all peeled, chopped and sizzling nicely in the pan I added water and vegetable stock (cubes).

Then I realised I hadn't any red lentils.

So I added a few handfuls of frozen peas...!

Result! :cool:
 
Sue said:
(I mean my Mum would be horrified that I can't tell you the exact price of stuff or that I don't go to about three different shops because there's a 2p price difference on something or whatever but still...)
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sounds like my mum.
she also made a red lentil soup much like yours/sojourners/dannys.
(oil, onion, add paprika, then rinsed red lentils, garlic, potatoes, bay leaves, stock, serve with lemon)

some interesting new variations to try out, cheers.
 
tbf (in response to earlier discussion on this thread) you don't need to defrost home made lentil soup that you have frozen before reheating, I always just bung a frozen block of it in a pan and reheat it, can probably microwave it from frozen too.

However, making a large batch of lentil soup and freezing it does require having some free freezer space, which I don't usually have and would use freezer space on things other than soup, so I normally make 2 to 3 days worth and don't freeze it.
 
I make this recipe which I got from Urban years ago courtesy of a poster called selalmlar who is no longer here and is untaggable (but if selamlar should ever read this - thanks!):

Mercimek corba!

1 cup red lentils
1 medium size onion
1 carrot
1 tbsp tomato (or, preferably, pepper) paste
1 tsp salt
1 tsp crushed pepper
6 cups of water
3 tbsp olive oil or butter
1 tbsp paprika

Cut up onion into little bits and cook in 1 tbsp oil for 3-4 minutes. Add the paste and cook for a couple of minutes, and add the lentils, chopped carrot, salt pepper and water. Cook for 25-30 mins. Either blend with hand blender or pass though a sieve. Heat remaining oil/butter with paprika for about half a minute. Add to top. Add lemon juice to taste. Eat.

So cheap it is almost free, and a part of damn near every Turkish meal. Good job its nice!

It's quick, cheap and good. I always puree it with a stick blender and serve it with 'homemade bread' AKA one of those packet mixes.
 
Epona said:
tbf (in response to earlier discussion on this thread) you don't need to defrost home made lentil soup that you have frozen before reheating, I always just bung a frozen block of it in a pan and reheat it, can probably microwave it from frozen too.

However, making a large batch of lentil soup and freezing it does require having some free freezer space, which I don't usually have and would use freezer space on things other than soup, so I normally make 2 to 3 days worth and don't freeze it.
Click to expand...
Yes I have a tiny freezer that's in desperate need of defrosting.

I'm also a single person who's totally incapable of making a small amount of anything :facepalm:
I have to be prepared to eat something like homemade soup, stew, casserole, pasta sauce for a week :D

Luckily I rarely cook with meat at home so not so worried about getting sick as long as its been in the fridge quick enough.
 
sojourner said:
I grew up in a poor household. Have always had that in mind - can't bear to throw food away, always looking for cheaper ways to do stuff, I repair what I can, never buy new if the old item still works.

Anyhoo, here's my recipe for Egyptian lentil soup. I use red lentils for all lentilly soups and dhals cos they cook really quickly.

2 onions
4 tbsp olive oil
3 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
350g split red lentils
1.5 litres vegetable stock
Fresh lemon juice (to taste)


1. Rinse lentils until water mostly clear and drain.
2. Chop onions and fry gently in olive oil until soft and just beginning to colour.
3. Stir in the garlic, cumin and coriander.
4. Add lentils and the stock. Bring to the boil and simmer for 30–40 minutes, or until the lentils have disintegrated.
5. No need to blend the soup – keep stirring so the lentils break down.
6. Taste and season the soup. Add the lemon juice before serving (a bit at a time until it’s to your tastes).
Click to expand...
Making this right now! :)
 
I love lentil soup, but it makes me sad. My grandmother made the finest lentil soup, and knowing I can’t ever taste that again is one of those things I have to incorporate into the rest of my life. She wasn’t a cook that kept recipes or anything like that, so there are a few dishes (mainly comfort food type things that she’d make in her own particular way) that I love but which now make me feel sad for that reason.
 
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