Ezo Gelin Soup (Daughter-in-law’s Soup)
Ingredients
- 10 gr. (½ oz.) butter
- ½ onion, finely chopped
- 2 lt (3½ pts.) water
- 2 tbsp. tomato purée
- 1 tsp. red pepper purée*(optional)
- 1 tbsp. vegetable stock powder
- 125 gr. (4½ oz.) lentils
- 1 tbsp. rice
- 1 tbsp. cracked bulgur wheat
- Seasoning
- Juice of ½ lemon
- 25 gr. (1 oz.) butter
- 1 level tbsp. freeze dried mint
- 2 tsp. paprika
- ½ tsp. cayenne pepper
- * If you don’t have any red pepper purée take a couple of roasted red peppers and whiz them to a paste, otherwise omit.
Method
Melt the butter in a large pan and add the finely chopped onion. Fry gently until transparent. Pour in the water and stir in the tomato purée and 1 tsp. red pepper purée (if you have it). Sprinkle in the vegetable stock powder, mix round well and bring to the boil.
Add the lentils, rice and bulgur wheat to the stock, together with a seasoning of salt and pepper. Simmer gently until they are soft. Adjust the seasoning and squeeze in the juice of ½ lemon.
With a hand blender just whiz the soup for 3 or 4 seconds. This just thickens it a little without pulsing it completely.
In a small pan, melt 25 gr. (1 oz.) butter, add the mint, paprika and the cayenne pepper. As soon as it sizzles, take off the heat and pour over the soup.
Serve with crusty bread and a slice of lemon.
