Fakes (Greek lentil soup recipe)
Traditional Greek lentil soup with vegetables and a tomato based broth.
Servings: 4 people
Equipment
- sauce pot
Ingredients
- 2 cups (16 oz) dry green lentils
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1 1/2 medium onion, chopped
- 1 medium size carrot, diced
- 1 celery stalk, cut into small chunks
- 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 3-4 bay leaves
- 6 cups water approximately
- 1 1/3 cup tomato sauce
- 1 medium potato, peeled and grated optional (see notes below)
- 1/4 cup medium grain rice optional (see notes below)
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- splash red wine vinegar optional
Instructions
- Pick over the lentils and remove any shrivelled pieces and small stones.2 cups (16 oz) dry green lentils
- Cover the lentils with warm water for 3 – 4 hours. Change water every hour or so. Drain.
- Add lentils to a pot and cover with an inch of water. Bring water and lentils to a boil. Boil for 15 minutes and then drain lentils and discard the water they were boiled in. Rinse lentils.
- While the lentils are boiling, prepare your vegetables by finely dicing onion, carrot and celery, thinly slicing the garlic and grating your potato if you're adding it.1 1/2 medium onion, chopped, 1 medium size carrot, diced, 1 celery stalk, cut into small chunks, 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced, 1 medium potato, peeled and grated
- In a large pot (you can use the same pot you just boiled the lentils in – but dry it first) combine the olive oil and chopped onion. Cook onion over medium heat until soft, approximately 5 minutes.1/3 cup olive oil
- Add carrot, celery, garlic and bay leaves to pot with onions. Cook for a few minutes, stirring constantly to prevent garlic from burning.3-4 bay leaves
- Add the lentils, water (6 cups or enough to cover the lentils by 1 inch), tomato sauce, and the grated potato(or rice if you are using either).6 cups water, 1 1/3 cup tomato sauce
- Bring to boil and then reduce to medium heat. Cook, covered, for 30 minutes. Add salt and pepper 15 minutes into the cooking process. Total cooking times may vary depending upon the age of the lentils, and whether or not you soaked them, and for how long. Your fakes are done when they are soft to the bite. For those who want, you can add a splash (1 teaspoon or so) of red wine vinegar to each individual portion1/2 tsp pepper, 1 1/2 tsp salt
- Enjoy!
Notes
Our parents have started adding grated potato to their lentil soup. Although you can't taste the potato, its addition makes your fakes thicker, and creamier.
Another option is to add 1/4 cup uncooked rice, to the soup.
Although, soaking and pre-boiling lentils is not essential; we find that it cuts down on the cooking time; and it might be easier on the digestion.