Red lentil soup with spirulina swirl

Ingredients

• 200 g red lentils, rinsed
• 1 medium onion, roughly chopped
• 1 medium carrot, roughly chopped
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1.2 litres vegetable or chicken stock
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• Half a teaspoon paprika
• Salt and pepper
• 3 g spirulina powder (for the whole pot)
• For the chilli butter: 2 tablespoons butter, 1 teaspoon Turkish chilli flakes (pul biber), half a teaspoon dried mint

Method

1. Sauté onion in olive oil until soft. Add garlic, cumin, and paprika; stir for 30 seconds.
2. Add lentils, carrot, and stock. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 20 minutes until lentils are fully soft.
3. Blend smooth with an immersion blender. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Remove from heat and allow to cool for 3–4 minutes — the target is below 70°C. Stir in spirulina until fully dissolved.
5. Ladle into bowls. Make the chilli butter: melt butter in a small pan, add pul biber and dried mint, let sizzle for 20 seconds. Drizzle over each bowl immediately.

Why this pairing works

Adding spirulina off the heat preserves most of the phycocyanin while the rich lentil flavour with cumin and paprika completely absorbs the ocean note. The chilli butter finish is traditional and provides enough flavour dominance to make this recipe indistinguishable from a standard mercimek çorbası. The 0.75 g per serving is the community-tested sweet spot for this soup.

Variations

• Add a squeeze of lemon when serving — traditional in Turkey and improves non-haem iron absorption.
• Garnish with croutons or toasted bread for a more substantial meal.