Yemisir Shorba, Ethiopian Lentil Soup
This is the thin, brothy cousin of misir wot, the thick red lentil stew that anchors an Ethiopian plate. Where the wot reduces down dark and dense, a shorba stays loose and spoonable, the lentils melting into a broth carried by berbere and ginger. Berbere is the spice that makes it unmistakable, a red blend of chile, fenugreek, ginger, and warm spices that you can buy or build yourself. Serve it on its own or over a scoop of brown rice, with lemon at the table.
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups Red lentils, rinsed
- 1 whole Yellow onions, finely diced
- 3 cloves Garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp Ginger, grated
- 2 wholes Carrots, diced
- 1 whole Potatoes, peeled and diced small
- 2 tbsp Tomato paste
- 1 tbsp Berbere
- 1/2 tsp Turmeric
- 2 leafs Collard greens, stems removed, sliced into thin ribbons
- 2 tbsp Lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp Black peppercorns, ground
Method
- Sweat the onion in a pot with a few tablespoons of water until soft and pale gold, about 10 minutes. Water does the work oil usually does here, softening the onion into the sweet base the whole soup rests on.
- Stir in the garlic and ginger for a minute, then push everything to the side and toast the tomato paste in the bare pot until it darkens to brick red, about 2 minutes. Toasting the paste concentrates it and takes away the raw, tinny edge.
- Add the berbere and turmeric and let them sizzle for 30 seconds in the hot paste. Berbere is chile-forward with fenugreek and ajwain behind it, and a moment of direct heat wakes all of that up before the water goes in.
- Add the lentils, carrot, potato, and 6 cups (1.4 L) water. Simmer partly covered for about 25 minutes, until the lentils have collapsed and the potato is tender. Red lentils break down completely and thicken the broth themselves, which is why this needs no flour or cream.
- Stir in the collard ribbons for the last 5 minutes. Added late, they stay green and just tender instead of dull and soft.
- Off the heat, add the black pepper and lemon juice, then taste. Reach for more lemon, not salt: the acid brightens everything and makes the soup read as fully seasoned. It thickens as it sits, so loosen leftovers with a splash of water.
Nutrition
Estimated per serving: 210 calories, 12 g protein, 9 g fiber, 65 mg sodium. Computed from USDA FoodData Central reference values for the main ingredients. This is an approximation, not a laboratory measurement. How these are computed.
Cost per serving is estimated from US national-average retail prices for cheap staple forms, using BLS dried-bean prices and USDA produce prices. Prices vary by store and season, so treat it as a guide, not a receipt. How this is computed.
