Lentil soup is a cornerstone of iftar meals in the Middle East, and this year, one of the best we’ve tasted at the meals across town was at the Raffles’s iftar at Azur. Here’s how chef Mohammad Afifi makes it.
INGREDIENTS
500g red dal (red lentils)
3 carrots, peeled and cut into dice
2 potatoes, peeled and cut into dice
2 onions, peeled and cut into dice
2l chicken stock
Corn oil, Salt, ground cumin and pepper
Soak red dal in water for 15 minutes.
Heat the oil in pan and cook the onions and carrots without colouring for 5 minutes, then add the potatoes and let cook for a further 3 minutes. It is important that the heat is not too high so the vegetables don’t get brown. Finally, add the lentils and cook for a couple more minutes.
Add 2l of chicken stock and season lightly with salt and pepper and the ground cumin and let cook for one hour on slow simmer so the dal and the vegetables are tender.
Blend with a stick blender or food processor into a soup.
Strain to remove any pieces, taste for seasoning and adjust the consistency with a little more stock if the soup is too thick.
How much cumin? Afifi suggests starting with half a teaspoon. However, it depends on the person and the quality of the ingredient. Taste and add more if you like it extra spicy.
— Mohammad Afifi is Chef de Cuisine at Azur, Raffles Dubai
