Datian 1 — Vartabed Chorba (Photo courtesy https://veganarmeniankitchen.com/recipes/red-lentil-soup-priests-soup/)

Lenten Recipe: Vartabed Chorba (Priest’s Soup)

March 21, 2024

2072

This recipe is courtesy of the St. John Armenian Apostolic Church in San Francisco that was founded in 1924.

According to the church website, “This soup is so named because it (or a variation of it) was a favorite with priests who had to prepare their own meals in the monasteries. Women and laymen were not permitted within the monastery walls, and so the priests did their own cooking.”

Ingredients:

1 cup red lentils, washed, rinsed and drained

3 to 4 cups cold water

2 medium onions, quartered or sliced thinly

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1/4 cup long-grain rice

4 cups boiling water

1 1/2 teaspoons salt, to taste

1/2 teaspoon red pepper or paprika, to taste

Fresh minced parsley and lemon wedges

Preparation:

The Armenian Mirror-Spectator

Topics: Lenten Recipes, Lentils, St. John Armenian Apostolic Church, Vegan foods

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Wash and rinse lentils. Add to a large saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to the full boil, lower flame and simmer, uncovered, for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring, until the water is almost absorbed and lentils have turned yellow. Mixture will resemble a thick paste.

Gradually stir in the onions, rice, boiling water, salt and pepper. Simmer gently for 30 to 35 minutes or a little longer, stirring occasionally until the rice has softened. Watch that soup does not boil over. Add more boiling water if it seems too thick when done. Check seasonings.

Garnish with minced parsley and red pepper, and serve with lemon wedges on the side.

Yield: 6 or more servings

Variation 1: Sauté the onions in 1/4 cup olive oil (or some butter) until brown, and stir into soup for the last few minutes of cooking time, or spoon over soup as a garnish when serving.

Variation 2: Heat 1/4 cup olive oil and sauté 2 or 3 tablespoons of small bread cubes until golden brown. Drain olive oil into soup, stir well, and garnish soup with toasted bread cubes when serving.

Tip: This recipe can easily be doubled. If the leftover soup thickens too much in the fridge, simply add more hot water to thin it out when warming.

St. John Armenian Apostolic Church

@stjohnsanfrancisco

275 Olympia Way

San Francisco, CA 94131

(415) 661-1142

info@stjohnarmenianchurch.com

https://stjohnarmenianchurch.com/

For this recipe, go to: https://stjohnarmenianchurch.com/articles/345/lenten-recipe-priest%E2%80%99s-soup

For Lenten recipes, go to: https://stjohnarmenianchurch.com/categories/fasting

References:

https://thearmeniankitchen.com/todays-lesson-islentils/