Red Lentil Soup Recipe

[Produce Addict]

Looking for a recipe for red lentil soup just like the kind they serve at Alfanoose, a middle eastern restaurant in Manhattan. It's delicious, a little spicy, so flavorful. In searching for recipes, it seems like most use another carb in addition to the lentils (I've seen potatoes, bread, bulgar, and rice in the recipes)--any guesses on which alfanoose uses? And any favorite recipes?

[coll]

Mine stays red and thickens by itself. Tastes like the best I've had in Turkish restaurants. I'll give you the proportions:

lb red lentils
1 qt beef stock
1 qt veg stock
1 onion, chopped
chopped garlic
1 cup tomato juice
4 Tbsp butter
juice of 1 lemon
2 tsp cumin
mint
parsley
salt
paprika
pinch of cayenne

Saute onion & garlic in butter 10 minutes
Add lentils, saute a few more minutes
Add everything else and simmer 1 hour.
Serve with dollop of yogurt.

[Rhee]

Do the red lentils stay red when you cooked them? I tried cooking red lentils recently and was dismayed that they turned a yellow color.

Thank you!

[pitu]

given the spices I use, and the sweet potato, the whole thing is usually a reddish orange

[MMRuth]

When I make a red lentil soup (onions, lots of cumin) it always turns yellow.

[pitu]

I don't know that restaurant, but sweet potatoes are a great carb to pair with red lentils in a spicy side or soup . . . Nigella in the NYT does a curry this way just about every year. It's veeerrry good.

[primebeefisgood]

I've had this soup in Turkey on many occasions. It is very simple to make--called "esogelin" soup, I believe. Cook red lentils about two hours or until soft in water (I use chicken stock). In seperate sauce pan, melt butter, add equal parts flour, cumin, tomato paste, Turkish chile and dried mint. Add to lentils and enjoy. Serve with a wedge of lemon and, if you like, a little browned butter on top.