Hasa adas

Ingredients

Lentils

• 350 gred lentils
• 1.5 litreswater or stock

The pot

• 2onions, chopped
• 4garlic cloves, crushed
• 3carrots, chopped
• 1potato, chopped
• 3tomatoes, chopped
• 2 tablespoonstomato paste
• 4 tablespoonsolive oil
• 2 teaspoonsground cumin
• 1 teaspoonground turmeric
• 1 teaspoonsweet paprika
• 1 teaspoonchilli powder, optional
• 1stock cube
• salt and black pepper

To top

• 2onions, thinly sliced and fried crisp
• juice of 1 lemon
• a handful of parsley, chopped
• olive oil, to drizzle

To serve

• toasted bread
• lemon wedges
• harissa or chilli paste

Directions

1. Rinse the red lentils in several changes of water. Keep rinsing until the water runs clearer. Pick out any small stones or grit. Drain them thoroughly before they go in.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large pot. Add the chopped onions to the pot. Cook them for a good eight minutes. Add the crushed garlic to the pot. Cook it for a good two minutes. Adding the spices takes a light hand. Add the cumin, turmeric and paprika. Fry them for thirty seconds only.
3. Stir them constantly for that half minute. Stir the tomato paste into the pot. Fry it for a good two minutes. Add the chopped tomatoes to it. Cook them down for about five minutes. Add the drained lentils to the pot.
4. Add the chopped carrot and potato. Pour in the water or the stock. Crumble in the stock cube as well. Season it with salt and black pepper. Bring it up to a boil, then lower the heat. Cooking it takes about half an hour. Let it simmer gently and partly covered. Give it about thirty full minutes. Stir it every five minutes or so.
5. Use a low heat rather than a fierce one. Judging when it is done is straightforward. Add hot water if it goes too thick. Some households blend it completely smooth.
6. Use a stick blender directly in the pot. Slice the onions as thinly as you can. Heat oil in a pan to a shallow depth. Fry them slowly until deep golden and crisp. Give them about twelve minutes. Stir them regularly so they colour evenly. Lift them out just before they look done.
7. Drain them all on kitchen paper. Finishing it is done off the heat. Squeeze the lemon juice into the pot. Taste it and adjust the salt and cumin. It needs more salt than you expect. Ladle it out into warm deep bowls. Pile the crisp fried onions over each.
8. Scatter chopped parsley over that. Serve toasted bread alongside it. Put harissa on the table for those who want heat. Toast or fry bread and break it into a bowl. Ladle the hot soup straight over it. Let it sit for a minute to soften. It keeps three days refrigerated. Fry fresh onions for the top each time.

Technique

• Red lentils are split and skinless, which is why they cook fast and collapse completely into a thick puree; that collapse is exactly what this soup wants, and whole lentils would give a different dish.
• Fatta means broken or crumbled, and fattat adas is this soup poured over toasted or fried bread that softens into it, turning a soup into a full meal; the same idea runs across the Arab world.
• Lentils sink and catch on the bottom of the pot, and a burnt layer flavours the entire batch, so stir every few minutes and scrape the base each time.

Substitutions

• Any red or yellow split lentil works and collapses the same way.
• Stock can replace water for a fuller flavour.

Variations

• Some households blend it completely smooth and others leave it entirely as it is.
• Fattat adas serves the same soup poured over broken toasted bread.
• A version with small pasta added near the end is also made.

History

One of the everyday Libyan soups, often poured over toasted bread as fattat adas.

Frequently asked questions

What is Hasa adas?

Hasa adas is a soup & stew from Libya: thick lentil soup with tomato, carrot and cumin, topped with fried onion. One of the everyday Libyan soups, often poured over toasted bread as fattat adas.

How long does Hasa adas take to make?

Hasa adas takes 20 minutes of preparation and 45 minutes of cooking. The recipe makes serves 6. It is rated easy to make.

What can I substitute in Hasa adas?

Yes, within limits. Any red or yellow split lentil works and collapses the same way. Stock can replace water for a fuller flavour.

What is the most important thing to get right in Hasa adas?

Use a low heat rather than a fierce one. Judging when it is done is straightforward. Add hot water if it goes too thick. Some households blend it completely smooth.