Ramadan iftar soup · 35 minutes
Shorbat Adas Recipe (Kuwaiti Lentil Soup)
Red lentils. Blend smooth. Lemon at the end.
Recipe by Farwa ZeeshanTested in the NineFoods home kitchenShorbat adas is the creamy red lentil soup served first at iftar across the Gulf. It turns out grainy or flat when the lentils are under-cooked or the soup isn't seasoned at the end. The fix is cooking red lentils until fully collapsed, blending smooth, and finishing with cumin, lemon and a drizzle of ghee.
The 3 laws of shorbat adas
Why this recipe works
Firm lentils
Gives a silky soup.
Chunky
Smooth is the Gulf style.
Lemon early
Fresh lemon lifts the whole bowl.
Shopping and prep list
Ingredients
Soup
The NineFoods soup gauge
Is the soup ready to blend?
Stir and look at the lentils.
Method · 3 stages
Step by step
Base
- Fry onion, carrot and garlic in ghee until soft, add spices.
Simmer
- Add lentils, loomi, water and salt and simmer, skimming foam.
- Use the gauge above.
Blend and finish
- Remove loomi, blend smooth and adjust thickness.
- Serve with lemon, cumin and crispy bread.
Chef's troubleshooter
What went wrong? Pick the symptom
Why
Undercooked lentils.
Fix next time
Simmer until fully collapsed before blending.
Why
Under-seasoned.
Fix next time
Season after blending and add lemon.
Why
Lentils absorb water.
Fix next time
Thin with hot water or stock.
Why
Loomi left too long.
Fix next time
Remove the loomi before blending.
Swap smart
Ingredient roles and substitutes
| Ingredient | Job in the dish | Swap with |
|---|---|---|
| Red lentils | Base | Yellow split peas, cook longer |
| Chicken stock | Depth | Water for a vegetarian soup |
| Ghee | Richness | Olive oil |
| Crispy bread | Crunch | Toasted pita chips |
After the meal
Serve, store, reheat
Serve with
Dates, lemon and crispy bread at iftar.
Store
Fridge 4 days. Freezer 3 months.
Reheat
Add water and stir on medium; it thickens in the fridge.
How we tested this recipe
Tested in a home kitchen, not a studio
Recipe developed and tested by Farwa Zeeshan, who cooks and tests every NineFoods recipe on a regular home stove.
- Cooked from start to finish with the exact quantities above for 6 servings, using both the metric and US cup measures.
- Every one of the 3 stages was timed at the stove; heat levels and the 'look for' cues are what we saw in the pan.
- The doneness check (is the soup ready to blend) and the troubleshooter come from batches that went wrong, and how we fixed them.
- Reheating and storage advice was checked on leftovers, not guessed.
Keep cooking
Related recipes and guides
Quick answers
Shorbat Adas FAQ
What is shorbat adas?
An Arabic red lentil soup, traditionally served first at Ramadan iftar.
Do I need to soak red lentils?
No, just rinse them.
Is lentil soup vegan?
Yes, if made with olive oil and water.
Why serve it at iftar?
It is light and warming, gentle on an empty stomach.