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Turkish cuisine

Red lentil soup (mercimek)

A smooth, gentle soup of red lentils, usually served with lemon.

Well-cooked hot dish

Red lentil soup (mercimek) — dish photo
Red lentil soup (mercimek) — Turkish cuisine. Photograph of the dish.

Ingredients

  • red lentils
  • onion
  • carrot
  • potato
  • butter
  • stock
  • pepper
  • salt
  • lemon

How it is prepared

The lentils are simmered with vegetables until soft and blended smooth.

Food safety with low immunity

How to prepare it during treatment

With mouth sores, serve it without lemon.

Your diet during treatment is agreed with your doctor. Sample 7-day menu for the treatment period →

Storage

Cool quickly (within 2 hours), refrigerate in shallow containers and eat within 1–2 days; with low counts many teams advise 24 hours. You can freeze portions.

Reheating

Reheat only once — bring to the boil, stirring. It should be steaming hot, not just warm.

Symptoms it may suit

  • Nausea. Mild and not too greasy; can be eaten in small portions, warm or at room temperature.
  • Mouth sores. Soft and moist; easier to eat without spicy or sour additions.
  • Constipation. Fibre (pulses, vegetables, grains) may help with constipation — together with enough fluids.
  • Low appetite. Gives a lot of energy and protein in a small portion — can help when appetite is low.

These are general observations: what suits you can change from day to day.

Treatment phases

  • Before treatmentmay suit
  • During a coursemay suit
  • Low counts (neutropenia)Freshly cooked and hotmay suit
  • Between coursesmay suit
  • After treatmentmay suit

Phase notes are general. During low counts, follow only your care team’s food rules.

If you have other conditions

  • Stomach and gut. High in fibre. With bowel inflammation, diarrhoea or after bowel surgery, discuss suitability with your team.
  • Kidney disease. Can be a source of potassium (tomato, potato, pulses, dried fruit). With kidney disease, discuss potassium limits with your team.
  • Stomach and gut, Lung disease. Pulses or cabbage can cause wind and bloating; keep this in mind with digestive or lung conditions (bloating can make breathing harder).

Nutrition (per 100 g)

Energy60 kcal
Protein3.8 g
Fat0.7 g
Carbohydrate10.2 g
Fibre3.7 g
Sodium244 mg

Figures are for a comparable item in the USDA FoodData Central database: “Soup, lentil”. Home recipes vary — treat this as a rough guide, not an exact calculation. USDA FoodData Central, FDC ID 2707462

More from this cuisine

Turkey: food database → · Country page →

Related topics

Food safetyNeutropenic diet (low-microbial diet)PasteurisedCore cooking temperatureLeftoversCross-contamination

Sources

  1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Safer Food Choices for People With Weakened Immune Systems
  2. FoodSafety.gov (U.S. HHS). Cook to a Safe Minimum Internal Temperature
  3. USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service. Leftovers and Food Safety
  4. U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Food Safety for Older Adults and People with Cancer, Diabetes, HIV/AIDS, Organ Transplants, and Autoimmune Diseases
  5. Food Standards Agency (UK). Chilling
  6. World Health Organization (WHO). Five keys to safer food manual
  7. Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Food Safety During Cancer Treatment
  8. National Cancer Institute (NCI). Eating Hints: Before, during, and after Cancer Treatment
  9. BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care, 2019. Neutropenic diets to prevent cancer infections: updated systematic review and meta-analysis
  10. U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). FoodData Central — Food and Nutrient Database for Dietary Studies (FNDDS)
Medical disclaimerThis information is for educational purposes only and does not replace medical advice.

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