Turkish Red Lentil Soup

Directions

1. Pick through the lentils to remove any debris. Place the lentils in a colander or strainer and rinse them in cold water.
2. In a large stockpot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and carrot and sauté for 5 minutes, or until the onion is translucent and the carrot is starting to soften. Add garlic, cumin, red chili flakes, and lentils, and cook for 1 additional minute, or until the spices are incredibly fragrant. Add vegetable broth, water, tomato paste, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to maintain a steady simmer. Simmer, uncovered, until the lentils are completely tender and falling apart, about 25 minutes. Remove the bay leaf.
3. Transfer half of the soup to a blender and purée until smooth, then stir the purée back into the remaining soup. (Or, if you have an immersion blender, blend the soup in the pot until it’s about half-puréed.) Remove from the heat and stir in the mint, then season with salt to taste. Serve with lemon wedges to squeeze into the soup.