Yemeni Lentil Soup Recipes

LENTIL SOUP WITH LEMON

Steps:

• Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Stir in the onion and garlic, and cook until the onion has turned golden brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste, cumin, kosher salt, black pepper, and 1/8 teaspoon of chili powder. Cook and stir 2 minutes more until the spices are fragrant.
• Stir in the chicken broth, lentils, and carrot. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the lentils are soft, about 30 minutes.
• Pour half of the soup into a blender, filling the pitcher no more than halfway full. Hold down the lid of the blender with a folded kitchen towel, and carefully start the blender, using a few quick pulses to get the soup moving before leaving it on to puree. Puree in batches until smooth and pour into a clean pot. Alternately, you can use a stick blender and puree the soup right in the cooking pot. Do not puree all of the soup, leave it a little chunky.
• Stir in the lemon juice and cilantro, then season to taste with salt. Drizzle with olive oil and a sprinkle of chili powder to serve.

YEMENI LENTIL SOUP

Steps:

• Rise and pick through lentils thoroughly and set aside.
• Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat and add onion, garlic, chili, and bell pepper. Cook until the onion is clear and slightly brown.
• Add lentils and cook for a minute until slightly brown, being careful not to burn. Add tomato, cumin, coriander, turmeric, salt, and black pepper. Quickly add water and maintain medium heat.
• Cover saucepan and let boil. Lentils should absorb water and become soft in about 1 hour. Add more water if needed. Lentils are cooked through when they are completely soft.
• Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve with bread or a dollop of unsweetened yogurt.

ARABIC LENTIL SOUP

Steps:

• Rinse lentils well.
• Saute onions, carrots, potatoes, & celery in large pot, Cook until veggies are soft and aromatic.
• Add water, chicken (or veg) stock, bay leaf, and lentils to veggies. Add vegetable soup if using. Bring to a boil and simmer for at least 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add 1 tsp cumin & rest of spices, stir in and taste, add more. I find the cumin flavor kind of disappears with long cooking so I usually add half in the beginning and half about 15-30 minutes before serving.
• Let cook on low for as long as you have time. Flavor of soup improves with longer cooking.
• Blend soup in blender or with immersion blender until texture is mostly smooth.
• Serve with freshly ground black pepper, croutons and wedges of lemon to squeeze over the soup (essential!).

GRANNY FRASER'S LENTIL SOUP

Steps:

• Boil the water, add the stock cubes.
• Once they have dissolved, add the lentils and simmer.
• Whilst the lentils are simmering, chop the potatoes first and add to the lentils, then the carrots and lastly the leek.
• Cook until the vegetables are soft, usually 20-30 mins depending on the size of the veg.
• Variations-
• *add ham/bacon.
• *fry the leeks in butter before adding to the soup.
• *keep it chunky or whiz with a hand-held blender.
• Once pureed this soup freezes. To defrost simply cover the bottom of a pot with water, put the frozen soup in it and gently heat until the soup is warmed through.
• I always make double to freeze and it rarely sees the freezer.

BULGARIAN LENTIL SOUP

Steps:

• Place lentils in a pot with ample water, a dash of oil and boil.
• Chop carrots and onions and place in the pot.
• Chop tomatoes and capsicum and place in the pot approx 15 min after you put the carrots.
• Add spices and peeled garlic cloves except fenugreek and garden herbs.
• Let cook slowly until the lentils are cooked.
• Sprinkle garden herbs and fenugreek, turn off burner and cover with a lid.
• Salt to taste.
• Serve with sour cream/yoghurt.
• Optional:.
• You can also chillify it a bit either by adding green chillies or a tsp of chilli powder.
• For a thicker consistency you can dissolve a tbsp of flour with the soup in a bowl and slowly add 5 min before cooking is finished.