Afghan Red Lentil Soup

Ingredients

• Onions

  Raw

  1 medium or 110g

• Carrots

  Raw

  1 ⅓ cup chopped or 170g

• Celery

  Raw

  1 stalks, large (11 inches long) or 64g

• Garlic

  Raw

  2 clove or 6g

• Lemons

  Raw, with peel

  1 fruit without seeds or 108g

• Spearmint

  Fresh

  2 tbsp or 11g

• Olive oil

  Salad or cooking

  1 tbsp or 14g

• Cumin

  Spices, cumin seed

  1 tsp, ground or 3g

• Tomatoes

  Red, ripe, canned, packed in tomato juice

  1 ⅔ cup or 400g

• Spearmint

  Dried

  1 tsp or 0.5g

• Lentils

  Pink, raw

  4 ¼ cup or 816g

• Water

  Plain, clean water

  2 cup or 473g

Directions

1. Halve, peel, and dice the onion. Peel the carrots then finely dice. Finely chop the celery. Mince or grate the garlic. Zest the lemon then halve. Cut one half into 4 wedges.Thinly slice the fresh mint, reserving a few leaves for garnish.
2. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.Add the onion, garlic, celery, and carrot and cook, tossing, for 4-5 minutes until softened. Add the cumin and cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Add the tomatoes and the dried mint to the pot. Using a potato masher or wooden spoon, break up the tomatoes until almost smooth.
4. Add the lentils, and 2 cups water to the pot. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer for 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are tender. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Add the sliced mint and the juice of half the lemon and stir to combine.
6. Optional: blend the soup for a creamier consistency.
7. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with lemon zest (to taste), reserved lemon wedges, and fresh mint leaves.