Mari's Mercimek

Mercimek is a lovely Turkish vegan lentil soup that's packed with flavor and very filling! It's a great and easy way to feed a lot of people and still have leftovers. This rendition is both vegan and pareve!

This recipe yields 4 quarts, which serves 6 to 8 people.

Ingredients

• 2 yellow onions, diced
• 2 medium carrots, diced
• 1-2 red peppers, diced
• 4 oz olive oil
• 4 oz tomato paste
• 2 oz red pepper paste (biber salçası, ajvar, etc.)
• 2 lb yukon gold potatoes, cubed
• 2 qt vegetable stock
• 1 lb dried red lentils

Spices

These are only approximations; I add spices to my own personal taste. Follow your own heart here and feel free to make substitutions! But do add the cumin and pepper...

• 2 tbsp cumin
• 1 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tbsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp cayenne powder
• Black pepper, to taste
• Salt, to taste

Directions

To a 6 qt saucepan, add olive oil, onions, carrots, and peppers. Cook for about 5 minutes or until translucent, then add tomato and pepper paste, along with your spices (let them toast!), and cook for another 10 minutes until caramelized. Add potatoes, lentils, and stock, bring to a boil, and let simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring every few minutes as the soup thickens.

Salt to taste — it will likely need a few generous pinches. Ladle out and garnish with a good olive oil and freshly squeezed lemon juice.