Red Lentil Soup with Mint

Ingredients

1 cup red lentils

1/4 cup fine bulgur

2 tablespoons rice

2 tablespoons tomato paste

5 cups chicken stock

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, diced

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 cup diced tomatoes

1 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

1 tablespoon dried mint

salt and ground black pepper 

Preparation

1- Cook  onion in the hot oil in a large pot until it begins to soften, about 2 minutes. Stir the garlic into the onion and cook another 2 minutes. Add the diced tomatoes to the onion mixture; continue to cook and stir another 10 minutes.

2- Pour in the chicken stock, red lentils, bulgur, rice, tomato paste, paprika, cayenne pepper, and mint to the tomato mixture; season with salt and black pepper. Bring the soup to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook at a simmer until the lentils and rice are cooked through, about 30 minutes.

3- Pour the soup into a blender to no more than half full. Firmly hold the lid in place and carefully start the blender, then pour into your serving dish.

H.Zoghib