Vospapur
A thick Armenian lentil soup with sweet dried apricots, tomatoes and a hint of walnut — warming and rich, yet light.
Ingredients
- red lentils300 g
- dried apricots80 g
- onion1 pcs
- carrot1 pcs
- tomato2 pcs
- garlic2 cloves
- olive oil2 tbsp
- vegetable broth1200 ml
- cumin1 tsp
- dried thyme0.5 tsp
- salt1 to taste
- ground black pepper1 to taste
- lemon juice1 tbsp
- parsley10 g
- walnuts40 g
Instructions
Rinse the red lentils until the water runs clear, and finely chop the dried apricots. Toast the walnuts in a dry skillet for 3 minutes, then let cool and chop.
Heat the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pot. Add the finely chopped onion and carrot and cook over medium heat for 7 minutes, until softened.
Add the minced garlic, dried apricots, cumin and dried thyme; stir for 1 minute to let the spices release their aroma.
Add the chopped tomatoes, rinsed lentils and vegetable stock. Bring to a boil, then cover with a lid.
Simmer over low heat for 20–25 minutes, until the lentils are fully cooked through.
Ladle out about half the soup, blend until smooth, then return it to the pot; this will thicken the soup while keeping some texture.
Season with salt, black pepper and lemon juice, heat through for another 2 minutes, then let stand covered for 5 minutes.
Serve hot, sprinkled with parsley and toasted walnuts.
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