Ezo the Bride (and her soup!)

Ezo was a real person, born in 1909 in the Turkish village of Dokuzyol, near the Syrian border. Ezo's village was located on ancient camel caravan routes and the lovely Ezo, with her rosy cheeks and black hair, was adored by the camel riders who often stopped by her house for water. Her first marriaged ended in divorce, and her second marriage took her to Syria and a mother-in-law who could not be pleased. Ezo died of tuberculosis in Syria around 1952. Some say she created the following soup for the aforementioned mother-in-law, but no one is certain. What is certain, however, is the delectability of this simple soup.

Ezo Gelin Corba (Ezo the Bride Soup)

4 Tbsp butter
1-2 onions, chopped
1 tsp paprika
1 cup red lentils, washed and sorted
1/2 cup bulgar wheat or rice
2 Tbsp tomato paste
8 cups stock (vegetable, beef, or chicken)
1/8 tsp crushed red pepper flakes or cayenne
1 Tbsp dried mint leaves, crumbled

Heat the butter in a pot and cook the onions until golden - about 15 minutes. Add the rice, lentils, bulgar (or rice) and paprika and let everything get coated in the butter. Add the tomato paste, hot pepper, and stock. Bring to a boil and cook until the lentils and rice are completely tender and the soup has a creamy texture. Optional: Blend soup in a blender until completely smooth.

Before serving, crumble the mint leaves in your hands and stir into the soup. Some people also sizzle the mint leaves in a little butter (don't burn!) and drizzle it over the soup before serving.

This simple soup is often served at our school cafeteria. It is also commonly found in kebap joints, but I like to make it at home as well. It is easy to make, nurishing, and delicious.

Optional ingredient: I usually had a chopped carrot as well. If I add a carrot, I puree everything in the blender when cooked.