RED LENTIL, RICE AND PAPRIKA SOUP

Its MONDAY, its looking pretty bleak right now so why not make yourself a nice pot of soup.

This is a classic Turkish soup served in from what seemed to be every cafe/ kebab shop in Istanbul. It never fails to make you feel 10000% better about the state of the world (because thats why soups were invented!)

Its super easy to make and as with most soups it just gets better everyday after you make it.

This soup is a go to recipe when you have nothing in the fridge except an onion. Everything else comes from the cupboards. Ideal when you cannot be bothered to leave the house.

Its served with a gluten free flatbread (holla me if you want that recipe its delicious and super easy!)
You can make Vegan and Gluten Free versions of this recipe easily by subbing out the meat stock with veggie stock and bulgur wheat for rice.

- 3 tbsp Extra Virgin olive oil
- 1 large onion, diced
- 3 large garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 tsp dried mint
- 2 tbsp paprika (used sweet but smoked would be good too!)
- 1/2 tsp chilli flakes
- 200ml passata
- 250g red lentil
- 50 g bulgur wheat
- 50 g rice
- 1.5 L stock (chicken or veg)
- 1 lemon, juiced

1. Fry off your diced onions and get them nice and carmelised, throw the minced garlic in. Should take about 10 mins
2. Add your dried mint, paprika and chilli flakes.
3. Chuck the lentils in and stock and passata on top.
4. Let that bubble away for 20 minutes or until the lentil start to break up and appear cooked.
5. Throw your rice in then 3 minutes later put your bulgur in.
6. Cook for another 10 minutes.
7. Finish with lemon juice.

p.s all the grains and pulses in this dish will suck up all the juices so when you come to reheat this over the next few days you will need to add a splash more water to loosen it up when reheating.

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