Ezogelin Çorbası (with Quinoa)

INGREDIENTS

300g red lentils
60g uncooked quinoa
40g white rice (pudding rice is best but any white rice will do)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 heaped tbsp dried mint
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp pul biber
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
3 tbsp sweet red pepper paste
2 tsp tomato purée
1 vegetable stock cube
Juice of 1 lemon
3 litres water

METHOD

Wash and drain the lentils, rice and quinoa in a sieve until water runs clear (around a minute) and leave over a bowl.

Dissolve stock cube in a little boiling water and add to a litre of cold water (this will be topped up with another 2 litres of cold water).

Add olive oil to a soup pan on a low-med heat and soften onion for 8-10 mins. Add all of the spices and pastes and stir for a couple of mins.

Next, add pulses and grains, stir well until the ingredients have amalgamated and you can smell all the spices and flavours coming together.

Add the 3 litres of water (which has the dissolved stock cube mixed in too), give everything a good stir, bring up to the boil then simmer on a low heat for 30-40 mins until everything has thickened.

Turn off the heat, add lemon juice, stir and serve with a sprinkling of dried mint, black pepper, pul biber and more fresh lemon juice if you wish.