Many years ago and a continent away, I was given a recipe by a lovely American-Turkish woman whose family’s ethnic roots lie in Northern Iran. She and another of my husband’s colleagues had gathered at our house (then in the USA) one academic break in early spring to finalise a book they were writing together. For lunch one day, I served them a hearty lentil soup. This precipitated a fulsome soloquy on the splendours of Persian Ash or Spinach-Coriander (cilantro as it is referred to in America) soup. And, without further ado, this lovely lady reached for a pad of paper and wrote the recipe out from memory.
Since that time, her Persian Ash has become a family favourite, though I sometimes leave out the chilli beans and simply add a bit more lentils. I also serve it with a a dollop of thick Greek yoghurt stirred with chopped fresh mint instead of adding dried mint to the soup. So, when looking through Saha, that Lebanese and Syrian classic cookbook by Greg and Lucy Malouf, it came as a mild surprise to see a similar soup. However, right there at the preface to the recipe, the Maloufs indicate that though their soup is based on a Bedouin version, many variations of soups with the spinach-lentil-coriander trio appear throughout the Middle East. Of course, I had to make it – for comparison purposes, but also for the cookbook blogging club, The Cookbook Guru, who are reviewing the Maloufs’ book this month.
Spinach, Lentil and Lemon Soup, Bedouin-style
Despite the terribly unphotogenic properties of this soup, it is packed full of flavour. And, that’s the main attraction, although I always try for a pleasing presentation – a feast for the eye as well as the palate. I’ve made one substitution – green lentils for the brown ones listed in Saha.
Taklia
- 3 garlic cloves
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
Soup
- 3 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion
- 1 garlic clove
- 150g green (or brown) lentils
- 1 litre water or more – see comments under instructions)
- 250g fresh spinach
- 25g fresh coriander leaves
- 2 to 3 lemons
- 100g pine nuts
First, make the Taklia by thinly slicing the garlic and lightly frying it in the olive oil. When it is just beginning to turn color, put the garlic and oil into a mortar. Add the ground coriander and salt, pounding with the mortar until you have an aromatic paste. Set aside.
For the body of the soup, heat the 3 Tablespoons of oil in a large pot and sauté the finely chopped onion and crushed garlic. When the onions are beginning to turn transparent, add the lentils to the pan. Stir, then add the water. Bring to a boil, turn down the heat and let it simmer for about 30 to 40 minutes for the lentils to soften.
When the lentils are soft, add the spinach and coriander. You will probably need to add more water at this point as it is quite likely that the soup has become too thick. Add the juice from the lemons. Cook until the spinach wilts.
Liquidise the soup. I used a hand blender. Stir in the Taklia. Test if the soup requires more seasoning. In a small frying pan, toast the pine nuts over medium heat until golden. Serve the soup with a sprinkle of pine nuts and optionally a few more coriander leaves.
Comparison Notes:
Both soups are wonderful in their own right (and packed full of iron!). My Persian Ash recipe is chunky – not liquidised – and has the additions of carrots and rice, making it a more substantial soup. The Maloufs’ recipe, on the other hand, is very flavoursome, mainly from the lemon juice and the aromatic Taklia. All things being equal, I prefer the taste of the Maloufs’ Bedouin version, but would add the mint-yoghurt topping (in addition to the toasted pine nuts, of course!). The best of both versions!
I’ve been eying off this recipe for a while in Saha, wondering what it would look like. Those ingredients are very attractive to me and I’m glad to hear you like it. The addition of a minty yoghurt sounds perfect. Back to the drawing board…
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The soup on the opposite page also caught my eye – the spicy tomato soup. However, have been trying to find ways in including the Persian Ash recipe in my blog and this opportunity was too good to pass up. I bet this soup would be fab with your glut of silver beet in place of the spinach. The lemons and Taklia really take it out of the ordinary.
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I love the combination of earthy lentils with uplifting lemon and coriander. I will definitely be trying this one.
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The coriander and lemon really do make a plain lentil soup so much more interesting. Hope you get a chance to try it.
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I reallyreallyreally want to come visit you. 🙂
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Ditto, for all those fermenting lessons!
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Those cute little green puy lentils! I’ve only become acquainted with them recently but I’ve come to love them. Better than the brown, I think. This sounds like an excellent recipe for a lentil soup, very aromatic and flavorful. 🙂
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Those Puy lentils are cute. I love the gray-green colour and they really do taste a lot better than plain brown ones.
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The soup looks wonderful…perfect for our chilly days. I’ll have to try your Taklia technique, looks like it would give an abundance of flavor.
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The Taklia is new to me, too. In the Maloufs’ book, they use it in many recipes. It is simple and – you are right – it adds an abundance of flavour.
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Reblogged this on The Cookbook Guru and commented:
Take a trip down memory lane with the kitchen witch and discover the joys of this tasty (even if not so pretty) lentil soup from this month’s book of choice, Saha.
Enjoy, Leah
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This is my first visit to your blog and I enjoy peeking into your life and recipes. The recipe for the lentil soup is a real treasure , I love the addition of the fragrant taklia which I have never seen before. When I return home I have to make it.
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The soup is really good. The Taklia is also a real find – used by the Maloufs in a number of recipes to add that extra but of flavour. Thanks for stopping by the site!
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Love that handwritten recipe and love green puy lentils. Soup looks well tasty.
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I love those handwritten recipes – particularly in this day and age of digital communication. And, the soup was very tasty!
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Hi Debi, Interesting you prefer Greg’s recipe. It must be a winner.
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It is a winner, Glenda. I love lentil soup, but the Taklia and lemon really lift it up out of the ordinary.
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What great sounding soups! I especially liked learning of the Taklia. Adding it towards the end of the cooking process is sure to have a big impact on the soup’s flavor. Because of the lemon, I think I’d opt for the Bedouin-style soup and even though I’m no fan of coriander/cilantro, I would still use some when I first prepare it. Who knows? I may surprise myself. : )
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The Taklia was a great addition. It is used in a number of recipes throughout the Maloufs’ cookbook. Why not try it with dill or fennel fronds instead of cilantro? These are all tender aromatic herbs that would work well with lentils and spinach. I might try it with dill sometime as it appeals (and I love dill).
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This look absolutely delicious. I’ll have to try this too. You’re a wealth of knowledge this week.
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The cookbook, Saha, by Greg and Lucy Malouf is a real inspiration – and full of beautiful photographs. Recipes come from here.
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[…] Lots of sustaining soups and hearty homemade pastas have been made this past month – such as Spinach, Lemon and Lentil soup (from the Lebanese and Syrian cookbook, Saha by Greg and Lucy Malouf, under review by The Cookbook […]
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