Lentil Soup

When served during the Nine Days of Tisha B’Av, lentil soup is traditionally accompanied with cheese borekas for a complete meal, although you can serve this soup any time you like. Méri Badi's recipe is fairly austere, but some optional spicing would be a pinch or two of ground cumin, a small pinch of cayenne, and a spritz of lemon juice to brighten the flavors. Sometimes cooked wheat or rice is added. Greek Jews commonly pass olive oil and vinegar at the table.