IT'S WINTER LENTIL SOUP (EGYPTIAN-SHORBAAT AADS)

Steps:

• Put 1 ½ cups of orange lentils in pot. Add approximately 4 cups of water, bring to a boil and skim out "white foam" as you see it. Cover and turn heat to low. Turn off when lentils are tender, if there is water still don't worry about it, its better this way.
• In a large stock pot, add a few pats of butter and oil.
• Add chopped onion, garlic, red bell pepper and garlic, sauté until soft and a bit brown, not too much.
• Add in shredded carrots and stir around for 5 minutes.
• Add two tablespoons of tomato paste, stir until all coated. You should have like a mushy ball, don't worry this is right.
• Your lentils have cooled, add to blender, add in sautéed onion garlic mixture on top.
• Add a bit of water, like 1 cup and puree.
• Add the pureed soup back into same pot where you sautéed the onions.
• Add salt, pepper to taste.
• Add chicken bouillon cube.
• Add a dash of turmeric, 2 tablespoons of cumin, and a dash of paprika.
• Bring to a boil, then turn to real low and simmer 30-45 minutes.
• If consistency is too thick, add water or chicken stock.
• The last step is to stir in one tablespoon of heavy cream before serving.
• FOR GARNISH:.
• Rip the two white pitas into bite size pieces.
• Heat oil in wok, deep fry the pita pieces and drain.
• Sprinkle with salt and cumin.
• Spoon soup in to serving dishes, you may drizzle a touch, very, very little heavy cream and a pat of fresh butter and a few slices of sautéed red bell pepper if you're using for presentation then add pita chips to warm soup on top.
• Arrange extra pita chips around each soup bowl on plate for presentation. ENJOY!
• *** You can make this the same way, by adding meat. Take a thin sliced steak with bone, brown in butter until cooked. De-bone the steak. Chop meat into tiny, tiny pieces, add to soup after you pureed and put into pot. Add the bone to the soup to cook in the flavor and remove bone before serving. If using this method, you may want to cook soup a bit longer to get meatier flavor, instead of 30-45 minutes, put on real low for one hour , 30 minutes. ***.