Turkish Red Lentil Soup with Curry and Mint

I've always eaten lentils ever since I was a small child.  My mother makes a fantastic Pardina lentil (brown) soup.  It was not until a Turkish restaurant Pasha Mezze opened up in my hometown of Norfolk, Virginia that I actually tried red lentil soup.  Unlike brown lentils, red lentils are usually pureed before serving and contain no meat.  It greatly reduces the amount of saturated fat, and lentils are extremely rich in protein and this soup is packed with tons of vegetables.  This soup was my attempt to replicate that of Pasha Mezze.

Ingredients for 4 people

1 cup red lentils
4 1/2 cups water
1 large onion, chopped
1 leek, cleaned and whites chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 carrot, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 teaspoons curry
1 teaspoon hot paprika
1 teaspoon dried mint leaves
1 bay leaf
olive oil
salt and pepper

In a large pot, heat olive oil, then add chopped onions and fry until translucent.  Then add carrots, leeks and bell pepper, cook until softened.  Then add garlic cook for an additional 2 minutes.  Then add the curry, paprika, mint and bay leaf, stir to mix.  Then add the red lentils and water.  Bring to a boil, reduce to low/medium and cook for about 30-40 minutes until the lentils are tender.  Once the lentils are tender, use an immersion blender to blend the mixture until everything is nice and smooth.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Serve with crusty bread, or where available, Turkish bread.