Mercimek Çorbası

Mercimek çorbası is red lentils simmered with onion and carrot until smooth, finished with a sizzle of butter and dried mint. It's Turkey's everyday soup, on the menu of nearly every lokanta in the country, and usually the cheapest thing on it.

What it actually is

Red lentils — which cook down fast and fall apart on their own, unlike whole brown or green lentils — are simmered with onion, carrot and a little potato until completely soft, then blended smooth. It's finished tableside or in the kitchen with a spoonful of butter melted with dried mint and a pinch of red pepper flakes, poured over just before serving so it sits on top rather than being stirred through.

A squeeze of lemon at the table is common and expected; the soup is deliberately plain enough that each diner adjusts the acidity themselves.

How it's served

• Very hot, in a plain bowl, the butter-mint finish still visible on the surface.
• With a lemon wedge on the side, for guests to add themselves.
• With bread, almost always, as a starter before the main course.

Writing it on a menu

• Note the dairy from the butter finish; it's easy to overlook in what reads as a simple vegetable soup.
• Mention it's vegetarian; the base itself is easily vegan too if the butter is swapped for oil.
• Say if it's blended smooth or left with texture; both versions exist, and regulars have a preference.
• Flag that it's usually the cheapest starter on the menu; worth knowing before pricing it against heavier options.