Dairy & Egg Free Egyptian Lentil Soup (Adas)

Ingredients

• 1 cup Red Lentils
• 6 cups Vegetable Broth
• 1 medium Onion
• 2 medium Carrots
• 2 stalks Celery
• 3 cloves Garlic
• 2 tablespoons Tomato Paste
• 1 teaspoon Cumin
• 0.5 teaspoon Turmeric
• 2 tablespoons Lemon Juice
• 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 0.5 teaspoon Black Pepper

Instructions

1. 1Measure 1 cup of red lentils and rinse them under cool running water. Place the rinsed lentils in a bowl.
2. 2Prepare your vegetables: finely chop 1 medium onion, peel and cut 2 medium carrots into 1/2-inch pieces, and trim and slice 2 stalks of celery into 1/2-inch pieces. Mince 3 cloves of garlic.
3. 3Place a large, heavy-bottomed pot on the stove over medium heat (350°F / 175°C). Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
4. 4Once the oil is shimmering, add the chopped 1 medium onion, the 1/2-inch carrot pieces, and the 1/2-inch celery pieces to the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 8-10 minutes, or until the vegetables are softened and the onion is translucent.
5. 5Add the minced 3 cloves of garlic and 2 tablespoons of tomato paste to the pot. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute until fragrant.
6. 6Add the rinsed 1 cup of red lentils, 6 cups of vegetable broth, 1 teaspoon of cumin, 0.5 teaspoon of turmeric, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 0.5 teaspoon of black pepper to the pot. Stir everything together.
7. 7Increase the heat to high and bring the soup to a rolling boil. Once boiling, immediately reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let it simmer for 30-35 minutes, or until the red lentils are very tender and have started to break down. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
8. 8Carefully use an immersion blender to blend the soup directly in the pot until it reaches your desired smoothness. If you do not have an immersion blender, you can transfer the soup in batches to a regular blender (be cautious with hot liquids) and blend until smooth, then return it to the pot.
9. 9Stir in 2 tablespoons of lemon juice. Taste the soup and add more salt or black pepper if needed.
10. 10Serve the soup hot.

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