In the heart of Egypt, a beloved staple known as red lentil soup, or "shorbet ads" in Arabic, holds sway. As Food & Wine editor Salma Abdelnour puts in a 2012 feature about her culinary adventure in Cairo, lentils is a "key Egyptian ingredient". She detailed her experience of making the soup in a local cooking class, fixating on the vivid, red-orange hue of the concoction as the red lentils, vibrant tomatoes, and carrots were fused together. The recipe below, curated by Eric Monkaba, pairs the soup with a punch of lemon and a hint of tart plain yogurt.

While some varieties of lentils, like the darker-hued beluga lentils, demand a longer cooking duration, red lentils, especially split ones, cook rather swiftly, thereby ruling out any need for pre-soak. But regardless of the type used, lentils must always be rinsed prior to cooking and sifted for any small rocks often left behind by the processing methods.

The soup recipe champions a medley of cumin, coriander, chile, and other aromatics such as celery and garlic. In harmony with lentils, warm, rich spices adopt starring roles, calling for the likes of turmeric, paprika, bay leaf, mustard seed, fenugreek, and blends like garam masala or ras el hanout. The recipe is rounded off with a dash of brightness or acidity - tenderized by a squeeze of lemon and a whirl of yogurt. Alternatively, fresh parsley or cilantro can be sprinkled. Remain judicious about adding salt, tasting as you proceed.

The commonly practiced Egyptian tradition of garnishing the soup with tantalizing, crunchy pita croutons complements the soup. Abdelnour recollected from her cooking class in Cairo how pita bread torn into pieces and fried till it assumed a distinctive crunchiness was the winning formula.

Follow this easy recipe: taking 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter with one medium onion, two finely chopped carrots, three finely chopped celery ribs, three thinly sliced garlic cloves, one teaspoon of ground cumin, half a teaspoon of ground coriander, half a teaspoon of ancho chile powder and some diced tomatoes, with 2 cups of red lentils and kosher salt.

In a large pot, melt the butter before adding all the ingredients in succession. Cook this mixture over moderate heat until all the ingredients are well softened, this should take approximately 5 minutes. When it reaches the right consistency, puree the soup. Season with salt according to taste and serve with fresh yogurt, lemon wedges, and warm pita. Revel in the authentic flavors of the Egyptian red lentil soup.