Lentils with lemon (tangy lentil soup)
Lemon lentil soup is one of the classic Levantine dishes.
The lemon gives it a distinctive tangy flavour. At Ramadan suhoor it makes a light, refreshing opener.
In a pot, heat the oil and sauté the onion for 5 minutes. Add the garlic.
Add the lentils, the cumin and the turmeric, and stir for two minutes.
Add the broth and leave it for 25 minutes until the lentils are tender.
Blend half the soup. Add the lemon juice and the salt.
Ladle into bowls and garnish with the parsley and a few drops of olive oil.
The glycemic index (GI) measures how quickly a food raises blood sugar, while the glycemic load (GL) measures how much a full serving raises it. Together they give the complete picture.
A low value (≤55) means a gradual rise in blood sugar — the most suitable range for diabetes and insulin resistance.
Glycemic load reflects the impact of the full serving. To lower it: take half a serving, or pair the recipe with a source of protein and fiber.
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet per FDA food-label reference values — your daily needs may be higher or lower. Values are derived from the recipe's ingredients via the USDA database.
The most common problems when preparing Lentils with Lemon (tangy lentil soup), and how to fix them:
Double the lemon. The acidity opens up the flavour.
Double the turmeric. Turmeric gives a yellow colour.
Blend more of it. Blending thickens the texture.
Cook for another 10 minutes. Older lentils need more time.
Three days. The flavour improves on the second day.
One month.
| Original Ingredient | Tested Substitute | Ratio | Flavor Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| red lentils | yellow lentils | 1:1 | A lighter colour. |
| vegetable broth | chicken broth | 1:1 | A deeper flavour. |
| olive oil | ghee | 1:1 | A different flavour. |
| Ingredient | 4 people | 8 people | 12 people |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lentils | 200 g | 400 g | 600 g |
| Onion | 70 g | 140 g | 210 g |
| Broth | 1 liter | 2 liters | 3 liters |
| Lemon | 50 ml | 100 ml | 150 ml |
Use red lentils. Red lentils cook faster and give a brighter colour. The lemon at the end balances the flavour of the lentils.
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