Turkish Red Lentil Soup

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp sweet paprika
• 200g red lentils, rinsed
• 1.2 litres vegetable or chicken stock
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Salt

• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 tsp Aleppo pepper (pul biber)
• 1 tsp dried mint

Cook the onion and carrot in the oil over medium heat until soft.

Stir in the garlic, tomato paste, cumin and paprika.

Add the lentils and stock and simmer, partly covered, until the lentils collapse.

Blend until smooth, then season with salt and the lemon juice. Loosen with water if it's too thick.

Melt the butter until foaming, then take it off the heat and stir in the Aleppo pepper and mint.

Ladle into bowls and drizzle over the red butter.