serves
4
prep
15 minutes
cook
40 minutes
difficulty
Easy
serves
4
people
preparation
15
minutes
cooking
40
minutes
difficulty
Easy
level
Ingredients
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 20 g (¾ oz/1 tbsp) butter
- 2½ tbsp Turkish tomato paste or concentrated tomato puree (paste)
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- 200 g (7 oz/generous cup) red lentils, picked over and rinsed
- 2½ tbsp fine burghul (bulgur) wheat (optional)
- 1.2 litre (40 fl oz/5 cups) chicken or vegetable stock
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp dried mint (or less to taste) to serve
- chilli flakes to serve
- lemon wedges to serve
Instructions
Slowly soften the garlic and onion in the butter over a low heat until translucent.
Add the tomato paste and paprika and cook for 2 minutes, stirring. Then add the lentils, burghul (if using) and stock. Bring to the boil and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
Once the lentils are soft and beginning to fall apart, take off the heat and blitz in a blender until fairly smooth. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper if necessary. Serve sprinkled with a light dusting of dried mint, chilli flakes and a squeeze of lemon.
Istanbul: Recipes From the Heart of Turkey, Rebecca Seal (Hardie Grant, $45, hbk)
Cook's Notes
Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.
