Zamalek Padlock Soup

Ingredients

• 2 onions
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 red bell pepper
• 800 g canned diced tomatoes
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 l vegetable broth
• 1 lemon
• 1 tbsp harissa
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp sugar
• 4 eggs
• 8 slices baguette
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• salt and pepper

Method

1. Finely chop the onions and garlic.
2. Dice the bell pepper.
3. Sauté onion and garlic in 2 tbsp olive oil in a soup pot for 5 minutes.
4. Add bell pepper and cook for 3 more minutes.
5. Add tomato paste, cook for 1 minute.
6. Add diced tomatoes, broth, harissa, cumin, and sugar. Bring to a boil and simmer for 25 minutes.
7. Meanwhile, hard-boil the eggs (10 minutes), cool, peel, and halve them.
8. Slice the baguette into long diagonal pieces, drizzle with 2 tbsp olive oil, bake until crisp (200°C, 8 minutes).
9. Blend the soup until smooth. Season with lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
10. Pour soup into bowls. Lay 2 croutons diagonally as a fence on each bowl. Place a half egg as a padlock against the croutons.

Serving notes

• Garnish with extra harissa for more tension.
• Serve with a lemon wedge for extra tang.
• Let the egg half rest firmly against the croutons as a visible lock.