Ezogelin
A classic Turkish soup, often served in lokantas from the early morning. According to legend it is named after Ezo, a bride from the Gaziantep area. Red lentils and bulgur cooked with onion, tomato and pepper paste and seasoned with dried mint, then drizzled at the table with butter infused with mint and hot pepper. The lentils fall apart and thicken the soup, while the bulgur gives it a pleasant graininess. With a squeeze of lemon it is filling, warming and tangy.
Your own work in that: 0 min.
- Preparation 5 min
- Onion and pastes 5 min
- Simmering 30 min
- Mint butter 5 min
Step by step
0 / 8 doneRinse the lentils
Rinse the lentils and bulgur in a sieve under cold water until the water runs clear. Chop the onion.
Ingredients: 200 g red lentils · 50 g fine bulgur · 1 pcs onion · 30 g butter · 1 tbsp oil · 1 tbsp tomato paste · 1 tbsp red pepper paste (biber salçası) or sweet paprika · 1 tbsp dried mint · 1500 ml hot water or stock · 1½ tsp salt
Soften the onion
Heat the butter and oil in a pot and soften the onion, about 4 minutes. Add the tomato and pepper pastes and fry a minute, stirring.
Ingredients: 200 g red lentils · 50 g fine bulgur · 1 pcs onion · 30 g butter · 1 tbsp oil · 1 tbsp tomato paste · 1 tbsp red pepper paste (biber salçası) or sweet paprika · 1 tbsp dried mint · 1500 ml hot water or stock · 1½ tsp salt
Fried pastes — colour and depth of flavour.Add lentils and bulgur
Add the lentils and bulgur, stir them into the onion and pour in the hot water.
Ingredients: 200 g red lentils · 50 g fine bulgur · 1 pcs onion · 30 g butter · 1 tbsp oil · 1 tbsp tomato paste · 1 tbsp red pepper paste (biber salçası) or sweet paprika · 1 tbsp dried mint · 1500 ml hot water or stock · 1½ tsp salt
Simmer 30 minutes
Bring to the boil, skim the foam and simmer with the lid ajar 25–30 minutes, stirring now and then, until the lentils have completely broken down.
Ingredients: 200 g red lentils · 50 g fine bulgur · 1 pcs onion · 30 g butter · 1 tbsp oil · 1 tbsp tomato paste · 1 tbsp red pepper paste (biber salçası) or sweet paprika · 1 tbsp dried mint · 1500 ml hot water or stock · 1½ tsp salt
The lentils break down — the soup thickens itself.Season with mint and salt
Stir in the dried mint, rubbing it between your fingers, and season with salt. If too thick, add water — it should be thick as a cream but still pourable.
Ingredients: 200 g red lentils · 50 g fine bulgur · 1 pcs onion · 30 g butter · 1 tbsp oil · 1 tbsp tomato paste · 1 tbsp red pepper paste (biber salçası) or sweet paprika · 1 tbsp dried mint · 1500 ml hot water or stock · 1½ tsp salt
Blend if you like
Ezogelin is usually not blended —the lentils fall apart on their own and the bulgur stays as grains. If you prefer a smoother soup, blitz it briefly with a stick blender.
Ingredients: 200 g red lentils · 50 g fine bulgur · 1 pcs onion · 30 g butter · 1 tbsp oil · 1 tbsp tomato paste · 1 tbsp red pepper paste (biber salçası) or sweet paprika · 1 tbsp dried mint · 1500 ml hot water or stock · 1½ tsp salt
Make the mint butter
Just before serving, heat the butter in a small pan until foaming. Take off the heat and stir in the dried mint and pepper flakes.
Ingredients: 15 g butter · 1 tsp dried mint · 1 tsp hot pepper flakes (pul biber) · 1 pcs lemon, wedges
Foaming butter with mint and pepper — it sizzles on the soup.Serve with lemon
Ladle the soup into bowls, drizzle with the mint and pepper butter and serve with lemon wedges to squeeze. Bread on the side is welcome.
Ingredients: 15 g butter · 1 tsp dried mint · 1 tsp hot pepper flakes (pul biber) · 1 pcs lemon, wedges
Before you start
With rice
Many recipes combine bulgur and rice, for example half and half. You can also replace the bulgur with the same amount of rice — it cooks in the same time, but the soup is less grainy.
Pepper paste
Biber salçası is sold in Turkish shops, mild (tatlı) or hot (acı). Replace it with a tablespoon of sweet paprika.
Storage
The soup keeps 3 days in the fridge and thickens a lot — add water when reheating. Always make the pepper butter fresh.
