Turkish Red Lentil & Mint Soup

Practice your knife grip fundamentals before starting: pinch the blade of your chef's knife between your thumb and forefinger just above the heel, wrapping your remaining fingers naturally around the handle. Keep your wrist straight and relaxed, not bent.

Maintain this relaxed pinch grip for 5 minutes of focused chopping: finely mince 1 medium yellow onion (150 g) and finely dice 1 medium carrot (100 g) into 0.5 cm pieces. Mince 2 raw garlic cloves.

Rinse 150 g of uncooked red lentils in a fine-mesh sieve under cold running water until the water runs completely clear, then drain thoroughly.

Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Add the minced onion and diced carrot, cooking for 6 to 8 minutes until the onion is soft and translucent.

Add the minced garlic, 1 tbsp tomato paste, and 1 tsp ground cumin to the pot. Stir constantly for 1 minute to toast the spices and cook out the raw tomato flavor without letting the garlic burn.

Stir in the rinsed red lentils and 1 liter of vegetable stock. Season with 0.5 tsp salt and 0.25 tsp black pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover with a lid, and simmer for 20 minutes until the lentils and carrots are completely tender.

Remove the pot from the heat. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup directly in the pot until completely smooth and creamy. If the soup is too thick, stir in 50 to 100 ml of warm water to reach your desired consistency. Stir in 1 tbsp of freshly squeezed lemon juice.

In a small skillet over medium-low heat, melt 20 g of butter. Add 2 tsp of dried mint and swirl the pan constantly for 1 to 2 minutes until the butter foams, turns slightly golden, and the mint becomes highly aromatic. Remove from heat immediately to prevent burning.

Divide the hot soup into two bowls. Drizzle the warm mint-infused butter evenly over the top of each bowl, garnish with 5 g of finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, and serve immediately with the remaining lemon cut into wedges on the side.