Description
Shorbat adas is delicious: a smooth, golden Lebanese lentil soup of red lentils, onion, carrot and cumin, finished with a big squeeze of lemon and a spoonful of olive oil. Always make sure to add the lemon at the end, never earlier, or the soup goes flat.
Ingredients
For the Soup
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped
- 1 large carrot, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 1/2 cups (300 g) red lentils, rinsed
- 1 medium potato (about 8 oz / 225 g), peeled and diced
- 6 cups (1.4 L) water or vegetable stock
- 1 1/4 tsp salt
- 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice (about 1 1/2 lemons)
For the Fried Onion
- 1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp olive oil
To Serve
- Extra olive oil
- Lemon wedges
Instructions
To Make the Soup
Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook the onion and carrot for 8 minutes until soft. Add the garlic and cumin and cook for 1 minute.
Add the lentils, potato, water and salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, partly covered, and cook for 25 to 30 minutes, until the lentils and potato are very soft.
Blend the soup with an immersion blender until smooth, or blend only half for a chunkier soup. Stir in the lemon juice and taste for salt. If it is too thick, thin it with 1/2 to 1 cup of hot water.
To Make the Fried Onion
While the soup simmers, heat the olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Cook the sliced onion for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring, until deep golden.
To Serve
Ladle the soup into bowls and top with the fried onion, a drizzle of olive oil and a lemon wedge.
Notes
- For adas bi hamod: use 1 1/2 cups brown lentils instead of red, cook 40 to 45 minutes, leave the soup unblended, and stir in 4 cups chopped chard after the lentils are cooked, simmering 5 to 8 minutes until it wilts. Then add the lemon juice.
- Keeps 4 days in the fridge and 3 months in the freezer.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Comforting Soups
- Cuisine: Lebanese
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 315
- Fat: 12 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Protein: 13 g