A few weeks ago one of my friends messaged me to tell her about this Turkish spicy lentil soup that she made and I thought why not make one myself. And let me tell you, I've been obsessed ever since! Not only is it so healthy to tasty but very easy to make.
Called Ezogelin in Turkish, this spicy lentil soup is a staple at most kebab shops in Turkey. Not that I frequented them at all since turning vegan, I still have a lot of fond memories of going out for family dinners. I'd have this soup as an entree and a Lahmacun (Turkish pizza) as the main course. This reminds me, I should come up with a vegan Lahmacun recipe for the blog soon!
Traditionally, bulgur is added in place of white rice however I wanted to keep it gluten-free and there's virtually no difference in taste or texture. Depending on my mood, I'll add more or less rice to the recipe. If I want a chunkier soup, then more rice and if I want something lighter and more watery, then less rice. I'll write down the alternative amounts under the ingredients.
One random thing that I noticed when I first decided to make this soup is that it's annoyingly difficult to find Dried Mint in Australia. Who knew? Woolworths occasionally has it, but I ended up finding some from an IGA. It lends a great flavour to this dish and many others.
And I know I shared another Turkish Lentil Soup previously on the blog, however the difference is that this one is chunky, doesn't have any veggies and is not blended. As well, spices such as mint, thyme and red pepper flakes are added to give it an extra flavour boost. Give it a try, you won't be disappointed!
If you try this recipe please let me know in the comments, or even share a photo on Instagram by tagging #revelinplants.
Finely chop the onion and add to a medium/large pot with a lid. Add in the tomato paste and if using, red pepper paste and stir.
Rinse the dry lentils and rice in a fine meshed sieve until the water runs clear.
Add in the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil on medium-high heat.
Once it starts boiling, give it a stir, turn the heat to low, cover and simmer for 25 minutes. Stir it on occasion as it's cooking.
Let it cool for about 10 minutes and serve as is or with some extra herbs sprinkled on top. Enjoy!
Ingredients
Directions
Finely chop the onion and add to a medium/large pot with a lid. Add in the tomato paste and if using, red pepper paste and stir.
Rinse the dry lentils and rice in a fine meshed sieve until the water runs clear.
Add in the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil on medium-high heat.
Once it starts boiling, give it a stir, turn the heat to low, cover and simmer for 25 minutes. Stir it on occasion as it's cooking.
Let it cool for about 10 minutes and serve as is or with some extra herbs sprinkled on top. Enjoy!
