Ezogelin Çorbası

Ingredients

• 180 g red lentils
• 40 g coarse bulgur
• 40 g short-grain rice
• 1 onion
• 3 garlic cloves
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 30 g butter
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tbsp Turkish red pepper paste
• 1 tsp dried mint, plus extra to finish
• 1 tsp Aleppo pepper flakes (pul biber)
• 1.6 litres hot water or light stock
• 1½ tsp salt
• 2 lemons, cut into wedges

Before you cook

• Rinse the lentils in a sieve until the water runs clear.
• Rinse the rice and bulgur together and drain them.
• Finely chop the onion and garlic.

Steps

1. Warm the olive oil and butter in a large pan over a medium heat.
2. Add the onion and garlic and cook them for six minutes, until soft and translucent.
3. Stir in the tomato paste and red pepper paste and fry them for two minutes, until they darken and smell sweet.
4. Add the lentils, rice and bulgur and turn them through the paste for one minute.
5. Pour in the hot water and bring the pan to the boil.
6. Turn the heat down and simmer, part-covered, for thirty minutes, until the lentils have collapsed and the rice is soft.
7. Crush the dried mint between your palms into the pan and add the Aleppo pepper flakes.
8. Whisk the soup briskly by hand to break it down, leaving some grain texture rather than blending it smooth.
9. Season with the salt and simmer for five minutes more.
10. Ladle into bowls, finish each with a pinch of mint, and serve with lemon wedges to squeeze in at the table.