Mercimek çorbası

Ingredients

Quantities for 4 servings.

• 250 g Red lentils, rinsed
• 1 piece Onion
• 1 piece Carrot
• 1 piece Potato
• 1 tbsp Tomato paste
• 1.4 l Water or stock
• 40 g Butter
• 1 tsp Dried mint
• 1 tsp Sweet paprika
• to taste Lemon
• to taste Salt

Method

1. Fry the onion and carrot in a spoon of butter until soft, add the tomato paste and give it another minute, until it darkens.
2. Add the lentils, potato and water, bring to the boil and simmer for twenty-five minutes, until the lentils have collapsed completely.
3. Blend until entirely smooth. The soup should be thick but still pourable; loosen it with boiling water if it is not.
4. Melt the rest of the butter, take it off the heat and stir in the mint and paprika. Ladle out the soup, spoon the butter over and serve with a wedge of lemon.