My father, whom I love dearly, is one of these people.
I am my father�s daughter because I can be quite stubborn too. Ask my husband. But I am always open to new ideas, especially regarding new food.
While I was visiting my family in Nebraska, I wanted to share some of the cuisine that I enjoy in Turkey such as Karniyarik (split-belly eggplant) or k�fte (Turkish grilled lamb meatballs). I ended up not cooking as much as I had intended because I was too busy savoring my mother�s boneless beef ribs, spicy chicken wings, pulled BBQ pork, roast beef and gravy on toast, steak and other familiar delights in my home state. (I did bake a batch of my Grandma�s anise-flavored lebkuchen. If you like drinking Raki, then you will probably enjoy this dessert!)
I did find the time to make a simple batch of one of my favorite Turkish soups � mercimek corbasi (lentil soup). In Istanbul, I often order this hearty, chicken-broth based soup for lunch and a side of tost. It�s the Turkish version of a grilled cheese sandwich with soup � though they often aren�t served together at the same time as I would like.
Now, the last time I made anything with lentils for my dad was nearly 9 or 10 years ago. I remember this quite clearly because after I served him my summer lentil salad with fresh herbs and balsamic vinaigrette, he replied �What is this? Rabbit pellets?�
This comes from a man who is clearly a meat-and-potatoes kind of guy year-round. My mother serves potatoes � mashed, boiled, roasted or baked � with nearly every meal! But I was determined (aka...stubborn) to convince my dad that lentils were healthy and delicious.
At the supermarket, I only could find green lentils next to the bags of dried beans. I was hoping to find red lentils, but that would have been asking a lot. I also bought some containers of organic low-fat, low-sodium chicken broth. (There are two versions of mercimek �orbasi in Turkey: red and green. You can find other recipes here at my friend�s blog: A Seasonal Cook in Turkey.)
In my mother�s kitchen, I set about preparing the few ingredients one needs to make mercimek �orbasi - onion, garlic (though not traditional), a little vegetable oil, chicken broth, salt, pepper and cumin.
After cooking and blending, I served dad a bowl of my mercimek �orbasi in my mother�s good china. Would it pass my father�s critical eye? I wondered.
My father raised his eyebrows up at me, skeptical, as I set the bowl in front of him.
After a few bites, I asked him what he thought of my Turkish soup.
�Well, it�s something after I added the crackers,� he said.
Sigh! Lesson learned � I will never change my father�s opinion about lentils.
Afiyet olsun!
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| Green lentil soup served with a drizzle of paprika melted butter on top. |
Mercimek �orbasi/Lentil Soup
(Adapted from the recipe learned in my Turkish Flavours cooking class in Istanbul.)Ingredients:
1 lb. dried green lentils (yesil mercimek), soaked overnight
1 lg. onion, chopped small4-5 ea. Garlic cloves, chopped small
2 T. sunflower or vegetable oil
2 T. flour
2 qts. Chicken stock/broth, hot
1 tsp. cumin
To taste salt and freshly ground black pepper
1. Place lentils in a container covered with water and refrigerate overnight. (This will help speed up the cooking process.)
2. On the following day, using a large pot, heat the oil and saut� the onion and garlic for five minutes, just until tender.
3. Then, add the flour and stir continuously for 2 or 3 minutes. (You are basically making a roux here.)
4. Next, slowly pour in the hot chicken stock a little at a time and stir continuously, so you don�t create lumps in your soup. You should end up with a smooth, thickened mixture.
5. Now, add the drained lentils. Discard the water. Season with salt, pepper and cumin. Bring the soup to a simmer, cooking over medium heat for 30 minutes or until the lentils are tender.
6. Using a hand immersion blender or a regular blend, pulse/blend the soup. It doesn�t need to be completely smooth.
7. Ladle the soup into warmed soup bowls. Garnish with a drizzle of melted paprika or spicy red pepper butter.
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| I used my mother's avocado-green blender (a wedding present in 1972) to blend my lentil soup. The blender is older than me and still going strong! |