(Ezogelin Corbasi - Turkish Recipe)

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup (90 g) red split lentils
  
• 1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon (50 g) bulgur
  
• 5 cups (1200 g) water
  
• 1 small size (30 g) onion
  
• 2 teaspoons (12 g) sea salt
  
• 3 tablespoons (40 g) butter
  
• 2 tablespoons (12 g) whole grain flour (I use spelt flour or whole wheat pastry flour)
  
• 1 1/2 tablespoons (20 g) tomato paste
  
• 1 1/2 tablespoons (1 g) dried mint
  
• 1/2 teaspoon (1 g) red pepper
  
• 1 1/2 tablespoons (20 g) lemon juice

Instructions:

Combine red split lentils and bulgur in a saucepan. Add water and simmer uncovered for 10 - 15 minutes or until tender. Remove scum with a perforated spoon.

Stir in chopped onion. Season with salt. Simmer for 40 minutes or until lentils and onion are tender.

Melt margarine in a skillet. Stir in flour blending well. Brown lightly. Add tomato paste, crushed mint and red pepper. Mix well.

Sprinkle mixture over soup. Serve hot with lemon juice.

Makes 6 servings.


Cultural notes:

This soup comes from the southeast of Anatolia. However it is cooked in all parts of the country.

Nutrition Facts:

	Approx. value per serving
Calories	142 cal.
Protein	5.0 g.
Fat	5.8 g.
Carbohydrates	18.4 g.
Calcium	17 mg.
Iron	1.53 mg.
Phosphorus	89 mg.
Zinc	1 mg.
Sodium	789 mg.
Vitamin A	231 iu
Thiamin (B1)	0.08 mg.
Riboflavin (B2)	0.06 mg.
Niacin	0.78 mg.
Vitamin C	1 mg.
Cholesterol	15 mg.

This recipe is from Samples from Turkish Cuisine
produced by the Turkish Ministry of Culture and published in Turkey in 1993.





Cream of Red Split Lentil Soup
(Ezme Sutlu Kirmizi Mercimek Corbasi)

Here is another Turkish Lentil Soup Recipe but without the bulgur:

Ingredients:

• 2 small size (80 g.) onions
  
• 3 tablespoons (40 g.) butter
  
• 2 tablespoons (12 g.) whole grain flour (whole wheat pastry or spelt flour would be good)
  
• 4 cups (1 liter) water or broth
  
• 2/3 cups (120 g.) red split lentils
  
• 2 teaspoons (12 g.) sea salt
  
• 1/2 teaspoon (1 g.) black pepper
  
• 1 medium size (50 g.) egg
  
• 3/4 cups + 1 1/2 tablespoons (200 ml.) milk (could use oatmilk or soymilk)
  
• 2 thin slices (40 g.) whole grain bread (could use Triscuits)
  
• fresh squeezed lemon juice to taste

Directions:
Saute chopped onion in melted butter for 3 minutes stirring occasionally. Stir in flour blending well (like making a gravy). Add water gradually stirring constantly.

Stir in washed red split lentils. Simmer uncovered for 30 minutes or until red lentils are tender. Place into a food processor container. Process until well blended and creamy. (Usually I just use one of those stick blenders right in the pot, or sometimes omit the step entirely. Not blending it just means the soup is not quite as smooth and creamy - but less dishes to clean up after!)

Season with salt and pepper. Simmer gently for 2 minutes. Combine well beaten egg and milk mixing well. Blend in soup stirring constantly. (You want to add the egg/milk mixture to the soup gradually so the egg does not curdle?)

Boil gently for 1 minutes. Top with toasted bread cubes.

Serve hot. (Usually I put the lemon juice on the table so each individual can add as much as they like. I like a lot on mine!)

Makes 6 servings.


Cultural Notes: This soup is served everywhere throughout the country. The egg-milk dressing is omitted in some areas.

This recipe is from Samples from Turkish Cuisine, published by the Turkish Ministry of Culture, 1993.

Nutrition Facts:

	Approx. value per serving
Calories	174 cal.
Protein	7.9 g.
Fat	7.2 g.
Carbohydrates	19.8 g.
Calcium	65 mg.
Iron	1.67 mg.
Phosphorus	133 mg.
Zinc	1 mg.
Sodium	855 mg.
Vitamin A	257 iu
Thiamin (B1)	0.09 mg.
Riboflavin (B2)	0.11 mg.
Niacin	0.53 mg.
Vitamin C	1 mg.
Cholesterol	45 mg.

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