EGYPTIAN LENTIL SOUP WITH CARAMELISED ONIONS
Ingredients
Soup:
2 Tbs olive oil 2 onions, chopped 2 carrots, diced 4 garlic cloves, chopped
2 celery stalks, thinly sliced
1 tomato, diced 2 bay leaves 1 tsp cumin (ground) ½ tsp nutmeg 1 tsp turmeric 250 g red lentils (dried)
1500 ml vegetable broth 1 lemon, juiced salt & pepper, ground
Caramelised Onions:
2 red onion, sliced 2 Tbs agave syrup
1 Tbs balsamic vinegar
bunch fresh thyme
***
Preparation
Soup:
Heat olive oil in a pot. Add chopped onions and sauté until clear. Add carrots, garlic and celery and continue to fry on medium heat for a few minutes. Next, add tomatoes, bay leaves, spices and lentils. Sauté briefly and then stir in vegetable broth. Simmer on low heat about 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add slightly more vegetable broth if the soup thickens too much. Stir in lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste.
Caramelised Onions:
Cover soy mince with hot vegetable broth in a bowl and let it soak for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk all sauce ingredients together. Drain excess liquid from soy mince and then fry in 3 Tbs olive oil until crispy and browned. Pour whisked sauce into fried soy mince and mix well. Simmer on low heat for another 4 minutes and then transfer to a bowl and clean out the pan.
***