Lentil Soup

TURKISH VEGETARIAN COOKING

SOUPS

LENTIL SOUP (Mercimek Çorbası)

1 cup lentils
I level tblsp rice
I heaped tblsp flour
1 large onion - finely chopped
2 large cloves garlic
2 tblsp vinegar
6 cups water
1/4 cup butter or margarine
2 tsp salt

Melt butter or margarine in a good sized pot, add the finely chopped onions and stir until the onions are transparent but not browned. Add the six cups of water and salt and bring to the boil. Wash and drain the lentils and rice and add to the boiling water. Cook until lentils and rice are soft. If a lot of water has evaporated before the lentils are tender add another cup of water. (Cooking time depends on the quality of the lentils.) Take about half a cup of additional cold water and mix in the flour to make a smooth mixture. Add this to the boiling lentils and rice in the pot. This is to thicken the soup and you must allow the flour to cook for five or six minutes. Mash the two cloves of garlic well and combine with the vinegar and add this to the soup and serve piping hot.

Serves 6-8.