This classic Turkish red lentil soup is a handful of lentils, a carrot, a potato and an onion. You sweat the whole bunch in a pressure-cooker until it mashes, then puree it with an immersion blender and eventually thicken with a roux. How special does it get? Well, this soup has rescued me more than once.
Life-Saving Red Lentil Soup
Turkish Red Lentil Soup by Olga Irez of Delicious Istanbul
Red Lentil Patties
What happens when I go to the countryside these days? Not much. I switch on the autopilot mode and get plenty of sleep, eat, play with the dogs, read, hang out, occasionally set up a table for a meal, wash up afterwards and generally act a visiting relative rather a tiresome member of my family undertaking various garden and kitchen projects under the fearless leadership of my mother-in-law. I migrate into the autopilot mode naturally as I find myself at a safe place where unconditional love and good food are awaiting for me.
Fantastic Winter Red Lentil Soup
I am little nervous every time I am cooking something new for somebody new. Which happens all the time. Because I think it is boring to cook the same thing over and over again. And I always find new hungry people to feed. My nervousness grows as I cook in different settings too: what works at the professional kitchen of Zeliha Hanım in Sapanca may not suit my home kitchen in Istanbul. So every time I keep thinking: Will the recipe (that I tested five times in other settings) work? Will people (who approved on many other occasions) like the dish?
