Silence in the Strait: Tanker Passage Soup
Based on:
TypeSoup
Serves4 people
DateAugust 25, 2026
Two elongated vegetables float as tankers in a spicy-sour soup: the Strait of Hormuz on your plate.
A spicy-sour lentil soup with long, oval courgette and pepper halves drifting as tankers through a narrow 'strait' of soup. The silhouette of two large ships, side by side, refers to the nearly empty passage through the Strait of Hormuz. The tension is tasted in the sharpness and acidity.
Ingredients
- 2 large courgettes
- 2 red pointed peppers
- 2 onions
- 2 cloves garlic
- 200 g red lentils
- 1.2 liters vegetable stock
- 1 can diced tomatoes (400 g)
- 1 lemon (juice)
- 2 tsp smoked paprika powder
- 1 tsp chili flakes
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Method
- Cut the courgettes in half lengthwise. Cut the pointed peppers in half lengthwise, remove seeds. Set these pieces aside for plating.
- Finely chop the onions and garlic.
- Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large pan. Sauté onion and garlic until translucent.
- Add lentils, diced tomatoes, paprika powder, chili flakes, and stock. Simmer gently for 20 minutes.
- Add lemon juice, season with salt and pepper.
- Pan-fry the halved courgettes and peppers in 1 tbsp olive oil until lightly browned but still firm.
- Ladle the soup into wide bowls. Lay two courgette halves and two pepper halves per bowl diagonally, like tankers in a narrow passage.
- Serve immediately, so the vegetables keep their shape.
Serving notes
- Drizzle extra lemon juice over the tankers for extra tension.
- Serve with crusty bread for a hearty bite.