i was pondering over what to cook recently. i had some chicken filet that needed roasting and i couldn't make up my mind what to make to go with it... we've had enough pasta, rice i thought was too boring that day and i wasn't in the mood for potatoes...
i've been wanting to make something with lentils for a while though. i found two indian lentil dishes that i really like on the internet before so i went ahead and searched for some more lentil dishes.
i didn't find anything.
well, actually i found a lot but nothing that tickled my fancy really. almost every recipe had lots of chili and indian spices in it - which is usually totally fine with me (maybe except the chili) but somehow that didn't seem to be the right thing on this particular day.
so i made up my own lentil dish. (scroll to the bottom of the post for the short version.)
we used to have lentils a lot when i was a kid and i never was a big fan of them. we had the big brown ones that need soaking over night and cooking in the pressure cooker.
but a while ago i (re)discovered the small red and yellow lentils that cook pretty much like rice does. i buy them at the health-food store (the organically grown ones) and for some reason cooking them just makes me happy.
first i put on the lentils according to the instructions on the packaging.
though it says they don't need soaking - at least not over night - i did some resarch and found out that they will be easier on the stomach when they are soaked for 15-20 minutes and then rinsed thoroughly prior to cooking. it washes out some indigestible contents.
the longer the lentils soak the less cooking time they need until they are done.
they are also supposed to be cooked without salt in the water - salt keeps them from softening.
i find that for my family's needs the quantities of lentils i have to cook are quite the same as the amount of rice i would need as a side dish.
i have a teacup that has the perfect size to measure rice and lentils - 1 1/2 cups full is just right for side dishes.
i cook the lentils - 1 1/2 of my teacups full - in twice the amount of chicken soup - 3 teacups full of water with one little tub of chicken soup concentrate (i suppose that has salt in it but they still soften) - on medium heat.
i soaked the lentils for about 20 minutes beforehand so it took about 10-15 minutes until they where done. i checked every now and then. they are usually done when most of the fluid has evaporated or been soaked up. the small red and yellow lentils sort of fall apart and become quite pulpy. i have yet to figure out how to keep them lentily to make lentil salads.
accordingly this dish might not be suited for people who don't like pulpy, mashy food with lumpy bits in it.
while the lentils cook i chop some onion(s) - depending on the size - and grate some carrots. the amount of vegetable is up to personal preference really. that's also why i don't give full particulars regarding the quantities used or needed. anyone to their own taste. i end up with a balance of lentils to vegetables being about 1:1.
next i sauté the onions and carrots with a good-sized lump of butter until they start to brown slightly - don't let them burn.
the lentils should be done by then and i put the vegetable into the pot with the lentils and stir the two together. adding a dash of vinegar helps bring out the flavour of the lentils more and after a quick taste i decide if it needs more salt or not - usually not or just a little pinch since the soup adds some flavour too.
today i made some chicken with cream-sauce to go with it and it was yummy!
(sorry about the photos - i'm not a very good photogarpher and not in the least a food-photographer which is an art form in itself.)
when i made this for the first time my hubby's words were something like: "it's much fruitier than it looks.", which i took as a compliment - he finished it off. it's true anyway because when you look at it you expect some sort of earthy indian spiced curry flavour. the carrots add a nice fruity sweetness to it.
even the kids enjoyed it a lot.
i'm blessed with them in every way - one of those ways is that they are not really picky when it comes to food and will at least try everything that i cook... and today i even got a long "mhmmm!" from R...
now here's a quick summary:
you need:
- red and/or yellow lentils
- onions
- carrots
- (any other kind of vegetable you want)
- butter
- vinegar and salt
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- soak lentils for 15-20 minutes, rinse very well
- cook in water or soup until soft/fallen apart (10-15 minutes - check every now and then)
- chop onion and grate carrots (you can add any other vegetable you like of course)
- sauté vegetables in butter until softened and slightly browned
- add vegetables to lentils and stir
- spice to taste with a dash of vinegar and salt if needed