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I welcome our dear viewers. I am from Vépr, Hungary, and I welcome you all to the Summer Seminar of Yoga in Everyday Life. I am going to cook a Hungarian lentil soup. I chose this soup because it is easy to prepare, and many people like lentils, including those who are not used to vegetarian food. First, I will show you the ingredients: lentils, olive oil, basil, bay leaves, dried herbs or oregano, bell pepper or paprika, salt, vegetables—carrot, parsley root (which is the root of the parsley plant, not the leaves), red onion (which Hungarians like to use), tomato, sweet green pepper, and water. Now we can begin. I put the lentils in water. Fortunately, if we soak them a day before, they will cook faster. But if we don’t have much time, then at least an hour before, we put the lentils in water to soak. Then we sift and wash them thoroughly in a sieve. If you find any impurities, you can remove them. After washing, I put the lentils in the pot. First, let's start with the oil. I put olive oil in a pan; this is healthier than regular sunflower oil. I add about two tablespoons. Next, I prepare the spices. Fresh basil leaves are best, but if you don't have them, you can use dried. I cut the fresh leaves into very small pieces. I also use a little bay leaf. Bay leaves were used in old Hungarian kitchens, though they are rarer today. I cut this into small pieces as well. I also have some oregano powder. I will show you how much I use. I heat the oil on a small flame. When the oil is warm, I remove it from the heat and add the spices: the basil, oregano, and other green herbs. If using dried spices, we only need a little. I stir carefully so they don't burn. I wait a moment for the oil to cool slightly, then add the paprika powder. If the oil is too hot, the paprika can burn easily and become bitter. I add about two teaspoons of paprika and stir. When ready, I add salt—about two teaspoons, though you can adjust to your taste. Now I add the soaked lentils to the pot and pour in enough water to cover them. It is best to use filtered water. The water should not be too much. I place the pot on the fire and bring it to a boil. While that heats, I prepare the vegetables. First, the carrot. In winter, you can cut carrots into bigger pieces; in summer, smaller pieces. The parsley root should be a little less in quantity than the carrot. We are using the root, not the leaf. I cut this into small pieces as well. If part of the vegetable is not good, I select another part. Cutting into smaller pieces helps them cook quicker. Next is the onion. Hungarians like it very much, but if you don't, you can cook without it. Cut it into small pieces as you prefer. Children usually like vegetables cut smaller. For example, men might like bigger pieces, while women prefer smaller. If we want our family to enjoy vegetarian food, we can pay attention to these small details. Next, the tomato. It's enough to cut it into four pieces. For the green pepper, a smaller piece is enough, not the whole one. We have three children in our family. They like it cut into small cubes, but sometimes we vary the shapes. You can prepare it as you like. We use Hungarian peppers, tomatoes, and spices, which is why we call it Hungarian-style lentil soup. When the vegetables are ready, I add them to the pot with the lentils. Hungarians like to use paprika, tomato, and red paprika powder, giving the soup its characteristic style. I stir the soup so the water covers everything. The water should cover the vegetables but not be excessive; this helps it boil easily and become soft in a short time. We can let it boil for 25 to 30 minutes. It is very important that the lentils become soft and open up, and that the vegetables soften as well. You can taste to see if it is salty enough. But if you taste it, do not use the same spoon again in the pot, as we are cooking for others. Later, you can add more water because lentils absorb water; this will also make the soup less dense. If it is too salty, you can add more water. When the soup is ready, we can serve it. I do not use paper serviettes to protect the environment; we use as little paper as possible. Our family experience is that we invite friends and acquaintances for a meal cooked over an open fire. They love this dish very much, prepared in a pot. It has become very popular even among those who rarely eat lentils or are less open to vegetarian dishes. With this Hungarian lentil soup, we can win them over; they enjoy it. It has a special taste and is even more delicious cooked over an open fire. I wish you good cooking, good food for everyone, and a successful vegetarian diet. In our family, we find that if we invite friends and cook this soup on an open fire, it gives a different and very special taste. Even friends who are not vegetarian or not very open to vegetarian food like this soup very much, and in this way, they come to appreciate the vegetarian kitchen. So I wish you good cooking, a good appetite, and a nice, successful vegetarian life.