During my quest to explore traditional plant-based dishes from around the world, I’ve come to appreciate how even the most humble ingredients can be elevated by ingenious techniques.
At first glance, the Lebanese Adas Bil Hamod appears to be a simple lentil soup. Already delicious by itself, it is transformed into something miraculous once a hot oil of sautéd garlic and dried mint is stirred through. Add to that the hearty broth in which the lentils were cooked as well as the tangy flavour of lemon juice and you find a healthy dish that’s rich in comfort.
serves 4
Ingredients
-
7 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
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1 large onion
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400g swiss chard
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30g coriander
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2 medium potatoes
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320g brown lentils
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1 tsp ground cumin
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1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
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1.5l water
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1 1/4 tbsp salt (17g)
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60ml lemon juice (1-2 lemons)
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5 garlic cloves
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1 tbsp dried mint
Method
Add 3 tbsp of the oil to a casserole and pre-heat over medium-low heat. Finely dice the onion and add to the casserole. Cut the leaves off the Swiss chard. Roughly chop the leaves and set aside, then finely dice the stems. Add the stems to the onion and continue cooking until both have softened.
In the meantime, trim and discard the lower stems of the coriander and roughly chop the rest. Dice the potatoes into 1cm pieces and give the lentils a quick rinse under the tap. When the onions and stems are soft, stir in the cumin and black pepper to heat it through, then tip the lentils into the pan along with the potatoes, coriander and 1.5l of water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer covered for 20 minutes or until the lentils are tender.
Add the chard leaves and salt and simmer for another 10 minutes until the lentils and potatoes are fully cooked.
Meanwhile, measure out the lemon juice. Then peel and finely grate the garlic. Preheat the remaining 4 tbsp of olive oil in a small frying pan and sauté the garlic and dried mint until the garlic is golden. Add this to the soup along with the lemon juice. Turn off the heat, stir it, then divide over bowls and serve with a generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and some bread.
Adas Bil Hamod (Lebanese Lentil & Lemon Soup)
Ingredients
- 7 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large onion
- 400 g swiss chard
- 30 g coriander
- 2 medium potatoes
- 320 g brown lentils
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1.5 l water
- 1 1/4 tbsp salt (17g)
- 60 ml lemon juice (1-2 lemons)
- 5 garlic cloves
- 1 tbsp dried mint
Instructions
- Add 3 tbsp of the oil to a casserole and pre-heat over medium-low heat. Finely dice the onion and add to the casserole. Cut the leaves off the Swiss chard. Roughly chop the leaves and set aside, then finely dice the stems. Add the stems to the onion and continue cooking until both have softened.
- In the meantime, trim and discard the lower stems of the coriander and roughly chop the rest. Dice the potatoes into 1cm pieces and give the lentils a quick rinse under the tap. When the onions and stems are soft, stir in the cumin and black pepper to heat it through, then tip the lentils into the pan along with the potatoes, coriander and 1.5l of water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer covered for 20 minutes or until the lentils are tender.
- Add the chard leaves and salt and simmer for another 10 minutes until the lentils and potatoes are fully cooked.
- Meanwhile, measure out the lemon juice. Then peel and finely grate the garlic. Pre-heat the remaining 4 tbsp of olive oil in a small frying pan and sauté the garlic and dried mint until the garlic is golden. Add this to the soup along with the lemon juice. Turn off the heat, give it a stir, then divide over bowls and serve with a generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and some bread.
Hi Julius,
Your website is such a beautiful place to “walk” around and you get so hungry!
Can I use fresh mint in the Adas Bil Hamod (Lebanese Lentil & Lemon Soup)? How much?
Thank you!
Marie
I’m so happy to hear that, thanks for the kind comment! Absolutely, just add around 20g along with the coriander (it would splash too much if you’d fry it with the garlic). Should be delicious!
This was an amazing dish! Super easy to make and without any hard hard to find ingredients, except maybe the dried mint, which we ended up replacing with fresh one. It worked amazing. Will totally do it again!
Wonderful! And yes, exactly, just use fresh mint instead! Glad you liked it 🙂
This was delicious, comforting and perfectly balanced! Thank you for sharing the recipe 🙂
That’s wonderful to hear! Thanks for the lovely feedback. 🙏
The soul of this dish is olive oil and lemon. You can taste the love in it. Give it a go.
Comfort food ☺️ I’m glad you like it!
Can I substitute kale for the Swiss chard?
Absolutely!
Hi Julius,
First of all, I love your channel, your shorts are always a splash of freshness on my youtube shorts scroll time.
Unfortunately i have that pesky gene that makes coriander taste like soap to me, what do you recommend i use in substitution?
All the best,
João
Thanks for the kind words! Fresh mint instead of coriander and the dried mint will be amazing here!