This is my go-to vegan
protein source when I haven’t had time to soak any beans, chickpeas or other
lentils etc. Red lentils don't need
to be soaked but they DO have to be rinsed thoroughly. That, I do have time for
as it takes about 3 minutes to do and increases the ease of digestion so much
more.
I have made this recipe
countless times and it always seems to go down really well when I make it for
other people too. I often cook a whole 500g packet of lentils and it’ll then last me
a few days. This recipe, however, is for 3 people or 3 meals but it can easily be
doubled.
For any left over lentils, I store them in a tupperware. They will solidify on cooling so when it comes to reheating, just place them in a pan with enough water to regain the correct consistency and voila, you've got another amazing meal!
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of red lentils
- 3 cups of vegetable stock
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- ½ tsp chilli powder
- 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- Few grinds of pink salt
- 1 clove of garlic, crushed
- ½ red onion, finely diced
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 handfuls of fresh coriander, finely chopped
The perfect vegan dinner party set up: red lentil dhal, sticky tahini brown rice and garlicky sautéed veggies |
Method:
- Thoroughly rinse the lentils in fresh water and keep repeating until the water runs clear. It’ll start off very cloudy but after about 4-5 rinses it’ll begin to look clear.
- Mix up the vegetable stock and add to the rinsed and drained lentils along with the turmeric, cumin, chilli, salt and pepper.
- Bring to the boil and then reduce to a simmer for about 15 minutes or until the lentils are completely soft and all the stock has been absorbed.
- If at any point in the cooking process the lentils begin to stick to the bottom of the pan, just add more water. The exact ratios of stock/water to lentils doesn't matter as much as it does for rice IMO. So adding some extra liquid in mid-cooking isn’t an issue at all.
- Whilst the lentils are simmering, heat the olive oil in a clean frying pan.
- Add in the garlic and onions and sauté until the onions have softened and browned.
- During this time the lentils should be cooked. Add them to the frying pan and stir well so that everything is nicely combined.
- Once cooked, add in the fresh coriander and serve. I like to have mine with brown rice and veggies (as shown above).
Enjoy and let me know if you try them on my insta @jesssriv!
Jess x
No comments
Post a Comment