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Syrian Red Lentil Soup (Shurbat Addes)




Source of Recipe


Adapted from _Aromas of Aleppo, The Legendary Cuisine of Syrian Jews_ by Poopa Dweck


Recipe Introduction


I love the cooking of the Middle East. Of my vast collection of cookbooks, those representing this region are in the greatest number.

I recently became acquainted with the cooking of the Syrian Jewish population. Aleppo was home to a major Jewish population from the time of the Babylonian exile (600 BCE). They experienced golden ages under the Byzantines and Ottomans, and remained there until the horrendous pogroms of 1947. Their Aleppo Codex is the oldest surviving document of the Old Testament other than the Dead Sea Scrolls, and resides at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem. Much of the Aleppan community has resettled in New Jersey. Aleppan Jewish cuisine contains elements similar to those found in the other Sepharic cultures, with strong Middle Eastern and Levantine flavors.

Red lentils are essential for this recipe; I purchase mine at a local South Asian (Indian) grocery store. Aleppo pepper is becoming much easier to find in the US. I purchase mine from Penzeys (www.penzeys.com)



List of Ingredients




2 c. red lentils (see note above)
6 cloves garlic
1 t. coriander seed
1 T. kosher salt
2 T. olive oil
Garnish: fresh cilantro, ground cumin, Aleppo pepper (see note above) or chili flakes, lemon wedges


Recipe



Rinse the lentils, pick them over for stones or other miscellaneous material, and bring them to a boil with 2 quarts of water. Lower to a simmer. Stir occasionally to make sure they aren't sticking in a large lump on the bottom, otherwise they may scorch. Simmer for about 40 minutes, until they have dissolved into a puree.
While the lentils are cooking, grind the garlic, coriander seed and salt in a mortar and pestle or a small food processor into a coarse paste. Fry this paste in the olive oil for about 1 minute, being careful not to burn the garlic. Add to the soup and let simmer a bit longer.
Taste and adjust first for texture first (by adding water). I like it moderately thin, but thick is good too. Then add salt as needed to make it flavorful.
Serve in individual cups garnished with a sprig of cilantro and a pinch of the cumin and pepper, and a lemon wedge on the side.

Yields 8 cups, enough for 8 appetizer servings or 4 main course servings.