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1
Start the Lentils
8 Mins
Boil, ~100°C (212°F)
Warm 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large pot. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes, stirring now and then, until soft and pale. Pour in the vegetable stock, tip in the rinsed lentils and the chopped chard stems, and bring the pot to a rolling boil at about 100°C (212°F), skimming off any foam that rises.
Skim the foam in the first minutes — it keeps the broth clear and the soup tasting clean.
Done when: The stock is boiling, the foam is skimmed, and the lentils are in the pot.
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2
Simmer with the Potato
20 Mins
Gentle simmer, ~95°C (203°F)
Turn the heat down to a gentle simmer, add the diced potato and the salt, and half-cover the pot with a lid. Cook for 20 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the lentils are tender but still whole and the potato is soft right through.
Do not rush this with a hard boil — brown lentils burst and turn to mush if they boil hard. If the pot looks dry, add a splash of hot water, not cold.
Done when: The lentils are tender and whole, and a potato cube crushes easily against the side of the pot.
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3
Wilt the Swiss Chard
8 Mins
Gentle simmer, ~95°C (203°F)
Stir the torn chard leaves into the pot, pushing them down into the hot broth. Cook for 8 minutes, until the leaves have wilted completely and turned a deep, soft green.
Chard shrinks a lot — the pot will look overflowing at first, then settle as the leaves wilt.
Done when: The chard leaves are fully wilted, dark green and tender, with no raw bite left.
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4
Fry the Garlic and Coriander
2 Mins
Medium heat, ~160°C (320°F)
While the chard wilts, warm the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in a small pan. Add the minced garlic and the ground coriander and fry for 1–2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the garlic is pale gold and the coriander smells warm and fragrant.
Do not let the garlic brown, or it turns bitter and the whole pot tastes sharp — pale gold is the moment to stop.
Done when: The garlic is pale gold and the pan smells warmly of coriander.
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5
Finish with Lemon
3 Mins
Off the heat (soup ~90°C / 194°F)
Take the soup pot off the heat. Stir in the fried garlic and coriander with all of its oil, then the lemon juice and the chopped fresh coriander. Taste and add more salt, lemon or a pinch of black pepper until the sour, the garlic and the lentils are all in balance — the soup should taste bright, not flat.
Add the lemon off the heat so its fresh flavour stays sharp instead of cooking away. Never blend this soup — it is meant to be chunky.
Done when: The soup tastes bright with lemon, warm with garlic and coriander, and the lentils are still whole.
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6
Rest, Then Serve
5 Mins
Warm, ~70°C (158°F)
Let the soup rest for 5 minutes so the flavours settle. Ladle into deep bowls, drizzle the remaining olive oil over each one, and serve hot with lemon wedges and warm pita on the side.
The rest matters — the garlic and lemon need a few minutes to marry into the broth before the first spoonful.
Done when: Each bowl is chunky and steaming, with whole lentils, wilted chard and soft potato in a lemon-bright broth.
auto_awesome Finishing Touches & Plating
Serve hot, with the lemon wedges and any extra olive oil on the table so everyone can adjust the brightness to their own taste.
Lebanon
25m
