I tried out a new soup recipe, Turkish bride soup, from Annabel Langbein’s book: Simple Pleasure: the Free Range Cook. This soup was hearty from the lentils and bulgur, but tasted fresh from the fresh mint and lemon garnish. While it had a good flavor, I don’t think I’d make this particular recipe again, as I personally prefer creamier soups. However, it is very healthy, for those looking for good-for-the-body food to serve their families and themselves, so I do recommend you try it out for yourself.
I started by dicing the onions. I cut the butter in the recipe down to 2 tablespoons and subbed in another 2 tablespoons of olive oil to sauté the onions. I let them cook for ~10 minutes over low heat, until translucent. Then I added in 1 full can (6 oz) of tomato paste, along with 2 teaspoons of paprika and ¼ teaspoon of cayenne pepper, and let it cook, while stirring, for another minute. I then added in 11 cups of stock, along with 2 cups of red lentils and ½ cup of bulgur. I brought the soup to a boil and then reduced the heat to bring the soup to a simmer for 30 minutes. After taking the soup off the heat, I stirred in 1 ½ tablespoons of dried mint, the juice of ½ lemon, 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh mint leaves, and a few twists of a pepper shaker.
To garnish the soup, I added a dollop of plain, low-fat yogurt, additional chopped fresh mint, and a lemon wedge.
Hearty Turkish Bride Soup
By rls
A good-for-the-body soup with lentils and bulgur, garnished with fresh mint and lemon.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Yield: Serves 6-8
Ingredients
- 2 T butter
- 2 T olive oil
- 3 medium onions, finely chopped
- 1 6oz can of tomato paste
- 2 tsp smoked or plain paprika
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper (or less)
- 2 cups red lentils
- ½-3/4 cup bulgar or cracked wheat
- 12 cups (3L) vegetable stock
- 1½ T dried mint
- 2 T chopped mint leaves
- 2 T lemon juice
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Plain yogurt (garnish)
- Lemon wedges (garnish)
Instructions
- Start by dicing the onions.
- Sauté the onions in the butter and olive oil and let them cook for ~10 minutes over low heat, until translucent.
- Then add in 1 full can (6 oz) of tomato paste, along with 2 teaspoons of paprika and ¼ teaspoon of cayenne pepper, and let it cook, while stirring, for another minute.
- Next add in stock, along with 2 cups of red lentils and ½ cup of bulgur.
- Bring the soup to a boil and then reduce the heat to bring the soup to a simmer for 30 minutes.
- Take the soup off the heat, and stir in 1 ½ tablespoons of dried mint, the juice of ½ lemon, 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh mint leaves, and a few twists of a pepper shaker.
- To garnish the soup, add a dollop of plain, low-fat yogurt, additional chopped fresh mint, and a lemon wedge.
