Ezogelin corba
They say that Ezogelin Soup comes from a very sad story. According to legend, this dish was created by Ezo, a disgruntled wife who was attempting to win over her mother-in-law through her stomach.
She made a fiery soup with red lentils, domato salca (sweet or hot tomato paste), grated fresh tomatoes, and onions, garnished with dried mint and pul biber (chili flakes). There's no proof it worked, but ezogelin (which literally translates to bride Ezo) is still the food of choice for brides-to-be, hailing from a small village near Gaziantep.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (200 ml.) red lentil
- 1/3 cup fine bulgur
- 3 full tbsp. rice
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp. all purpose flour
- 2 tbsp. tomato paste
- 2 tbsp. butter
- 3 tbsp. vegetable oil
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- Dry mint
- Ground red pepper
- Black pepper
- Salt
- 1 meat bouillon or meat stock optional
Instructions:
- Add your 2 tbsp. butter and 1 tbsp. vegetable oil in a medium pot.
- Add your 1 finely chopped medium onion, 2 finely chopped cloves of garlic in your pot and sautée until it changes its colour.
- Wash and drain your 1 cup red lentil, 1/3 cup fine bulgur, 3 full tbsp. rice, add to your pot and sautée for about 5 minutes.
- Pour 5 cups of water (1 liter), 1 meat bouillon or meat stock (optional) to your pot, cover the lid and let it cook for about 20-30 minutes. Take your pot from the heat when the legumes soften.
- Take a saucepan. Heat your leftover 2 tbsp. vegetable oil, add your 1 tbsp. all purpose flour and sautée until it changes it’s colour.
- Add 2 tbsp. tomato paste to your saucepan and sautée a little more. Pour 1 cup (200 ml.) water to your saucepan and wait until the sauce boils.
- Add your dry mint, ground red pepper, black pepper to your sauce and pour your sauce into your legumes pot.
- Stir constantly for about 5 minutes while boiling the mixture, add your salt and your Ezogelin Soup is ready to serve.
- You can serve your Ezogelin Soup with some lemons.
