Bowl of Red Lentil & Wheat Soup
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Red Lentil & Wheat Soup


Turkey - Kurdish

Makes:
Effort:
Sched:
DoAhead:  
7 cups
***
2-1/4 hr
Yes
This is a Kurdish version of a soup very popular in Turkey, It's easy to make, and is both substantial and vegetarian. For other versions see Red Lentil & Mint Soup and Red Lentil & Bulgur Soup.




1
1/2
2/3
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6
4-1/2
5
4-1/2
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8
1-1/2
2
1/2
-------
1
1/4
1/2
1/8
2
-------

c
c
c
---
oz
oz
oz
oz
---
c
T

T
---
t
t
t
t
T
---

Red Lentils
Wheat, pelted (1)
Chickpeas, canned
-- Vegies
Onions
Celery
Carrots
Frying Peppers (2)
-------
Water
Tomato Paste
Red Pepper, dry (3)  
Salt
-- Aromatics
Mint, dried
Aleppo Pepper (4)
Pepper
Safflower (opt)
Butter
--------------

Prep   -   (35 min)
  1. Drain CHICKPEAS
  2. Peel ONION and chop small. Trim wide ends form CELERY and dice small. Peel CARROTS and dice small. Cap and core FRYING PEPPERS, strip membranes and seeds, and cut into small pieces. Mix all.
  3. Grind together All Aromatics Items except Butter.
Run   -   (1-1/2)
  1. Wash LENTILS and WHEAT. Place in a saucepan with 5 cups Water and bring to a boil. Skim any foam that rises to the surface.
  2. Stir in Vegie Mix and Tomato Paste. Break caps off Red Peppers and toss in. Bring back to a boil, cover and simmer for 1-1/4 hours, or until Wheat is tender.
  3. Stir in Salt and Chickpeas. Simmer another 15 minutes.
  4. When ready to serve, melt Butter. Stir in Aromatics mix and heat until just sizzling. Turn off heat under the soup and swirl the Aromatic Butter over the top. Let sit for 5 minutes.
  5. Swirl the Aromatic Butter into the soup just before ladling into individual bowls.
  6. Serve hot.
NOTES:
  1. Pelted Wheat:

      [Pearled Wheat] This is whole wheat grains, lightly pearled. It is available from markets that serve an Anatolian, Caucasian, Eastern Mediterranean,or Middle Eastern community.
  2. Frying Peppers

      These are thin walled yellow-green chilis. They can be Armenian, Turkish, mild Hungarian, Cubanelle or Italian Frying Peppers. For details see our Chilis & Other Peppers page.
  3. Red Pepper:

      This can be 1 or 2 dried red peppers of your choice. Japones are relatively mild, Thai rather hot. For details see our Chilis & Other Peppers page.
  4. Aleppo Pepper:

      This is a specially prepared Chili Flake, traditionally very mild and flavorful. I've recently seen "Aleppo Pepper Extra Hot", and though it isn't real hot by Southern California standards, I prefer to use the mild. Due to endless wars in Syria, most Aleppo pepper now comes from Turkey and some is produced in North America. It should be available in markets serving an Anatolian, Caucasian or Eastern Mediterranean community, or on-line.
  5. Comments

      The pattern recipe called for 1/4 cup of dry Chickpeas, soaked overnight and cooked along with the wheat. We have called for canned Chickpeas to avoid having to plan a day ahead for such a minor item. There's not much difference.
  6. U.S. measure: t=teaspoon, T=Tablespoon, c=cup, qt=quart, oz=ounce, #=pound, cl=clove, in=inch, ar=as required, tt=to taste
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