Name: Red lentil soup with yoghurt and coriander
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 4 - 6
Ingredients: 40 gm butter; 1 red onion, finely chopped; 2 celery stalks, finely chopped; 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped; 2 tsp ground cumin; 2 tsp ground coriander seeds; 1 tsp ground turmeric; 1.75 litres (7 cups) chicken or vegetable stock; 300 gm (1½ cups) red lentils; Finely grated rind and juice of 1 lemon; Olive oil, for drizzling; Greek-style yoghurt, chopped coriander and toasted Turkish bread, to serve

This lentil soup, known as shorbat adas, is often served during Ramadan, and has many variations across the Middle East. Our take is blended lightly to retain texture and is served with yoghurt for freshness. Try topping it with chilli for a little heat.

Ingredients

40 gm butter

1 red onion, finely chopped

2 celery stalks, finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 tsp ground cumin

2 tsp ground coriander seeds

1 tsp ground turmeric

1.75 litres (7 cups) chicken or vegetable stock

300 gm (1½ cups) red lentils

Finely grated rind and juice of 1 lemon

Olive oil, for drizzling

Greek-style yoghurt, chopped coriander and toasted Turkish bread, to serve

Method

1.Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion, celery and garlic, season to taste, and sauté until onion is translucent (3-4 minutes). Add spices and cook, stirring often, until fragrant (1-2 minutes), then add stock and bring to the boil. Add lentils, reduce heat to medium, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until lentils are soft and starting to break down (14-16 minutes).

2.Remove from the heat, add lemon rind and juice, then blend with a hand-held blender until a coarse purée (the soup should still have some texture). Divide among bowls and serve topped with olive oil, yoghurt and coriander with toasted Turkish bread on the side.

Maxwell Adey Senior Food Editor & Stylist

Maxwell has always been passionate about food. Born into a restaurateur and award-winning produce farming family, he was strongly steered into pursuing a career in advertising after completing his Bachelor of Public Communication at University of Technology, Sydney. After a very short stint, he decided to enrol in Commercial Cookery at TAFE to follow his true passion. Maxwell started out working in some of Sydney’s finest restaurants (Est., Claude’s and Moon Park) which helped further his love of all things culinary and developed his technical ability to cook. Later, he was lured into the magical world of food publishing where he freelanced for ten years for notable Australian commercial and editorial brands. He has also run his own business where he sells his marinated olives, dressings and sauces at food markets and select retailers. He excitingly joins the Gourmet Traveller team to bring his technical and creative expertise in food to the brand.

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Recipe / styling by Lisa Featherby

Ingredients

Method

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