Comforting Lentil Soup with a Kick of Spice and Citrus
This recipe is inspired by the Persian ‘Shorbat Adas’, a red lentil soup fragrant with turmeric and cumin and a hint of citrus from an iconic Persian cooking ingredient – dried black lime.
This comforting version is finished with a smoky paprika butter and served with a melted cheddar cheese toastie. It’s a simple and satisfying vegetarian meal that’s ready in just 40 minutes.
To learn more about dried black lime, visit the spice gallery profile on flaevor.com here
Recipe: Black Lime Lentil Soup and Cheddar Toastie
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Black Lime Lentil Soup and Cheddar Toastie
Persian-inspired black lime lentil soup with smoked butter drizzle served with a melted cheddar cheese toastie.
Servings: 4
Ingredients
Lentil Soup
- 250g red lentils
- 1 large onion, chopped fine
- 1 carrot, grated
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1.2 litres vegetable or chicken stock
- 2 tsp ground coriander
- 2 tsp ground black lime
- 1 tsp turmeric
- Squeeze of lemon juice
Spiced Butter Garnish
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/4 tsp ground cumin
Cheese Toastie
- 8 slices of sourdough bread
- Butter for speading
- 200g mature cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Washthe lentils under running water to rinse off excess starch.
- In a medium saucepan, heat a good splash of olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and a pinch of salt. Fry until soft and golden.
- Add the grated carrot and minced garlic and cook for a few more minutes until softened.
- If the mixture looks dry, add another splash of oil. Stir inthe cumin, coriander, and turmeric, and cook for 1–2 minutes until fragrant.
- Add the red lentils and stock to the pan along with the ground black lime.
- Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to low. Coverand simmer for 20 minutes, or until the lentils are soft and the soup has thickened. For a smoother texture, blend the soup completely, or blend half and return it to the pan to keep some texture.
- Cheese Toastie: While the soup is simmering, prepare the toasties. Butter eight slices of bread, then layer about 50g of cheddar cheese between each pair. Toast in a hot pan or sandwich press until golden brown and the cheese has melted.
- To finish the soup: Squeeze in some lemon juice, then taste and season with salt and pepper as needed. In a small pan, melt the butter with cumin and smoked paprika until bubbly. Drizzle over each bowl of soup and serve with a cheddar cheese toastie.