Wasfetna

Lentils with lemon

Brown lentils with chard and potato, finished with fried garlic and coriander and a clear hit of lemon.

Vegan

Lentils with lemon
Cooking time
55 min
Hands-on time
20 min
Free time
20 min
Difficulty
Easy
Cuisine
Levantine
Calories
160

A thick soup judged by its sourness: the lemon should be clear, not shy, and it goes in at the end, because long boiling drives it off. The chard stems go in ten minutes before the leaves, because they need twice as long.

Before you start

  • Before you beginRead the steps completely, measure the ingredients, and prepare the tools before turning on the heat or oven.
  • Timing the servingPrepare what you can in advance and leave the final touches until serving time to maintain the texture.

Ingredients

6people

Amounts follow the number of people

For the soup

When doubling the quantity, use a wider container, and gradually increase the salt and seasoning after tasting.

Shopping list

Equipment

  • Medium pot — Lentils, then chard and potato, all cooked in it.
  • Small pan — Garlic and coriander are fried alone, then poured into the pot.

Method

  1. Boil the lentils in water over medium heat until they are almost cooked.

    20 minYou can walk away
    You’ll know it’s ready when

    A lentil crushes with a spoon but hasn't dissolved.

  2. Add the potatoes and chard stalks first, then the leaves after ten minutes.

    18 minYou can walk away
    You’ll know it’s ready when

    The potatoes are soft and the chard has wilted but retained its color.

    Tip: The stems need twice as long as the leaves — adding them together gives mushy leaves.

  3. Fry the garlic and coriander in olive oil until fragrant, then add them to the pot.

    5 min
    You’ll know it’s ready when

    The garlic is golden and the coriander is green and has not turned black.

  4. Add lemon juice and salt, and taste — the acidity should be pronounced, not timid.

    8 min
    You’ll know it’s ready when

    The taste is distinctly sour and the soup is thick.

    Tip: Lemon is added at the end; prolonged boiling removes its acidity.

  5. Let the pot rest for a bit and serve it hot with lemon on the side.

    4 minYou can walk away
    You’ll know it’s ready when

    The texture is thick and the lentils are firm.

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