Mercimek çorbası – Kıbrıs usulü (Cypriot lentil soup)

Mercimek çorbası is a comforting and nutritious lentil soup that you may know from Turkish restaurants. Pronounced 'mehr-jee-mek chor-bah-suh', the Cypriot version of the dish (this recipe) uses a generous amount of lemon juice as a key ingredient for a fresh, zesty flavour and bright golden hue. Chopped onions add an earthy fragrance that balances the creamy lentils, while ground black pepper brings gentle warmth.

As we use plenty of lemon juice in our recipe, you may wish to start with 50ml and adjust to taste before adding more. The black pepper can also be dialled up or down, depending on how much warmth you prefer.

Putting the soup through a food processor gives it a smooth, silky texture – the way it’s often served in restaurants. We prefer to leave it unprocessed for a more hearty, filling soup, which is how it’s made in this recipe.

Mercimek çorbası is best enjoyed with freshly made croutons, which add a crunchy texture and buttery flavour. Fresh bread also works perfectly on the side, while sliced lemons let everyone add extra tang at the table. For a little more warmth, finish with a sprinkling of pul biber.

Using split red lentils and medium-grain white rice (rather than long-grain) helps the soup cook faster and thicken naturally. For a sweeter variation, finely grate 2 carrots and add them at the same time as the lentils. To make the dish vegan, simply swap the chicken stock for vegetable stock.

Cypriot mercimek çorbası is made differently to that in Turkey, where ingredients like pul biber, tomato paste and paprika are blended in, and lemon is served on the side rather than being cooked into the soup. You are welcome to try these additions to experiment with flavour.

Serves 4 to 6 | Preparation time: 5 minutes | Cooking time: 50 minutes

Ingredients

For the soup
300g split red lentils, washed well and drained	​½ tsp salt, or as desired
1 medium onion, finely chopped	​½ tsp ground black pepper
Sunflower oil, for frying	​50g medium grain white rice, washed well and drained
​1 chicken or vegetable stock cube	100ml lemon juice, or as desired
​2L hot water
For the croutons
2-3 thick slices of white sourdough bread	Sunflower oil, for frying
To serve
1-2 lemons, cut into wedges	Fresh or toasted bread

Hob heat settings

Method

For the soup

1. Lightly coat a large saucepan with sunflower oil and place on a medium-high heat. Once hot, fry the onions until slightly softened - about 5-10 minutes.

   
   

2. Add a little more sunflower oil, the lentils and stock cube and fry for 2-3 minutes more, while continuously stirring and breaking up the stock cube with the back of a spoon. The lentils should get lighter in colour as you fry them. Frying the lentils at this step helps the soup cook more quickly.

   
   

3. Add the hot water, salt and ground black pepper, and simmer while loosely covered for 15-20 minutes, or until the lentils start to break apart. Add the rice and lemon juice and continue to simmer for 15-20 minutes more, or until the rice has cooked and soup thickens. Stir occasionally throughout cooking and top up with more hot water if necessary (but the aim is to get a thick soup).

   
   

4. Serve with freshly made croutons (see below instructions) and lemon wedges on the side, along with fresh or toasted bread.

For the croutons

1. While the soup is cooking, cut the sliced bread into 1-2 cm cubes.

   
   

2. Add enough sunflower oil to a small saucepan to be 0.5 cm deep and place on a high heat. When the oil is ready for frying, you can test it by dipping the end of a wooden spoon handle in - if it gently bubbles or fizzles, it’s ready.

   
   

   Watch our video to learn how to check if oil is hot enough for frying.

   
   

3. Fry the bread in batches, stirring occasionally with a slotted spoon, until brown and crispy all over. Drain the croutons well when removing and place in a bowl lined with kitchen paper towels to absorb the excess oil.