Turkish Lentil Soup (Mercimek Çorbası)

Dice the onion and garlic, and chop the carrots and potato into cubes
In a large pot, saute the onion in 1 tablespoon of olive oil with a good pinch of salt over low-medium heat
Once softened, add the garlic, cumin, tomato paste and the 2nd spoon of olive oil. Saute together for 3-5 minutes until aromatic and the tomato paste has fried down
Add the red lentils and carrots and stir through. Then add the water, stock cube and the potato. Start by adding 6 cups of water, season well with salt and pepper and simmer for 15-20 minutes over low heat with the lid on
Once the lentils and vegetables have softened, turn off the heat and using an immersion blender, blend the soup until it's smooth and velvety
If the broth is too thick, add the extra 1 cup of boiling water for your preferred consistency, and ensure to taste and add extra seasoning if doing so
To make the chilli oil for garnish, heat 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil in a pan over low heat. Add the aleppo pepper and gently stir for 2-3 minutes until the color of the oil becomes a lovely orange/red
Serve your delicious Turkish lentil soup in bowls with a drizzle of the aleppo pepper chilli oil and chopped parsley. Add a good squeeze of lemon which is key and enjoy with fresh Turkish bread or Persian flatbread