Ezogelin Soup Recipe
Ezogelin soup is one of the most loved and probably the most frequently consumed soup recipes in Turkish cuisine. If there is a kind of soup in restaurants that serve home-cooked meals, it is usually ezogelin. If there are two kinds, one of them is definitely ezogelin soup. Honestly, I've never seen anyone complain about it.
But ezogelin soup is often confused with lentil soup. I have witnessed many people who ordered lentil soup and asked if it was lentil soup or ezogelin soup after the soup arrived. However, every time I hear this, I am surprised that the distinction between lentil soup and ezogelin soup is unknown. Besides, the menu already says lentil soup, why should they bring ezogelin?
What is the Difference Between Ezogelin Soup and Lentil Soup?
And although both are made with lentils, they are very different soups. Lentil soup is made with only lentils, while bulgur and rice, or sometimes just one, is added to ezogelin soup along with lentils. While lentil soup is smooth, ezogelin soup is grainy.
It is surprising to me that the grains in a soup that has been drunk dozens of times, while its consistency and even appearance is so different, is not paid attention to. Or do people not look at what is in anything they eat or drink? If so, it's surprising as well as sad. This is nothing out of the ordinary that you ignore, it gets into your body. There is a saying that you are what you eat. Even for this, one must know what he is eating.
Of course, there is also the general cultural dimension of the work. We cannot expect everyone to have an interest in culinary culture. But in my opinion, everyone should at least know the name of the food they eat, and have a (correct) word to say when the subject comes up. People constantly mention that although Turkish cuisine is the best in the world, it has not been introduced to the world, but we do not even know our own cuisine. How can someone who does not know the difference between Karnıyarik and imam bayildi introduce them to the world?
Enjoy the recipe...
Ezogelin Soup Recipe with Video
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup of red lentils,
- 1/4 cup of rice,
- 1/4 cup of bulgur,
- 1 medium sized onion,
- 1 tablespoon of tomato paste,
- 1 teaspoon of paprika,
- 1 tablespoon of butter,
- 1 tablespoon of oil,
- 6-7 glasses of water,
- 1 teaspoon of flour,
- Salt, mint, thyme.
Preparation
- Take the butter and oil in a saucepan and heat it,
- Add the finely chopped onion and fry until soft,
- Add tomato paste, paprika and flour and fry for a few minutes,
- Add water and mix,
- When the water boils, add the lentils, bulgur and rice and cook with the lid closed on low heat until they are all soft,
- If it is too thick, add boiling water until you reach the desired consistency,
- Add salt, mint and thyme, mix and remove from the heat.
Bon appetit...
- Fiona: Ezo Gelin soup was so easy to make and my family loved its unique flavour. The recipe is a keeper! Thank you Kevser. May 31, 2017 3:19 pm
- Kevser: Thank you:) I am really happy you liked it. June 4, 2017 9:14 am
- colette gordon: I don't understand how dolma and sarma is different. pls explain it to me kevser? I think they are the same. October 24, 2021 9:44 am
- Kevser: If you roll some leaves, it is called sarma (sarma means to roll/rolled). See the examples here; https://turkishstylecooking.com/tag/sarma If you fill something, it is called dolma (dolma means to fill/filled). see some examples here; https://turkishstylecooking.com/tag/dolma October 24, 2021 12:14 pm
- Ed: How much mint and thyme do you use? October 12, 2022 4:22 pm
- Kevser: It’s up to you, you can use how much you want. If you are not good at arranging spice amounts and need a starting point, you can add 1/2 tsp each first, taste and add some more if necessary😊 October 12, 2022 4:27 pm
- Kay: How much garlic do you use, my husband is Turkish and misses this soup. November 1, 2022 11:28 am
- Kevser: I don’t use garlic😊 November 1, 2022 12:57 pm
- Fran: Kevser, you say you don't use garlic in your reply to Kay. However, in the instructions, #3 says "add garlic and fry till it smells good" although garlic is not listed as an ingredient. Would adding garlic be non-traditional? November 22, 2022 8:47 am
- Kevser: Hi Fran. Thank you for noticing. There should have been a typo. I don't use garlic in ezogelin soup. I updated the recipe accordingly. Thanks again. November 22, 2022 2:51 pm
- Ron: Ezo is my favorite soup in Türkiye. Don’t forget to add the slice of lemon juice as it compliments the flavors. I also like adding some chili flakes for the heat. Afiyet olsun December 26, 2022 6:28 pm
- Dilmeran Akgoze: Thank you Dear Ms. Kevser, I Appreciate your clear instructions.and organization skills. I waw born in Istanbul,Turkiye, however I have been mostly living in the USA since 1960. Thank you for your Food presentations of Turkish foods, to me one of the best in the world. Blessings to you. Dilmeran Akgoze January 31, 2023 5:59 pm
- Kevser: Thank you for the kind feedback🙏🏻 It means a lot😊 February 2, 2023 12:39 pm
- Saba: Hi thank you for your recipe. When do you add tomatopaste, it does not say in instructions November 4, 2023 9:53 pm
- Bex: This reminded me so much of Greek 'Gemista' in soup form - delicious, amazing. December 5, 2023 4:42 am