# ISO Lentil recipes



## Brooksy (Dec 20, 2004)

MDW (me really ) is currently on a lentil binge.

Any recipes worth trying.

She (he) is trying to lose some weight after putting on kilos from all the fine recipes gleaned from this site. We (he) can't fit in the plane.


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## Pam Leavy (Dec 20, 2004)

I make a lentil soup.  Saute onions and garlic.  Add lentils  with a can of tomatoes and some chicken or vegetable stock.  Add cumin to taste.  Cook until tender.

We sprinkle dried chili flakes over it but we like spicy.

Pam


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## Brooksy (Dec 20, 2004)

Hello & thank you Pam for your reply. 
I like the sound of Tomato & Lentil soup.

I've looked vitually everywhere & the recipes I've found bomb the lentils with the things I'm trying to avoid to lose some weight. Unfortunately I have gone a bit bananas on many of the recipes posted here & have blown up like a balloon. Now I have to trim down again & what a time of year to be doing it.

A rib sticker (serve 1 + leftovers):
1 Cup Lentils - well washed.
2 Cups Water or chicken / veg stock
1 Tbsp oil
1 sm - med onion finely diced
1 sm carrot finely diced
1 sm Zucchini finely diced
1 clove garlic diced, mashed (or mutilated)
1/2 - 1 tsp Dijon Mustard (or mustard seeds)
2 - 3 tsp Your favorite Curry powder or paste
1/2 - 1 Tbsp coriander (greens)
Salt & pepper to taste
Yogurt, mint & cucumber (for raita)

Method:
Oil into a pan place & heat. If using mustard seeds add & allow to start popping. Add all veges & saute til onions are opaque. Add curry powder/paste and cook off. Add dijon (if using). Add Lentils & stir for a minute, then add liquid. Bring to boil and simmer for about 10 minutes. I like to stir regularly. The mixture thicken quickly after about 8 minute on slow simmer.

When serving consistency achieved (should collapse behind your stirring stick), add diced coriander to taste & also a dash of Soy Sauce (to taste).

Serve with pappadams or crusty bread, or serve as a side dish. Chilli flakes welcome

Raita: 2 Tbsp yogurt + 1Tblsp chopped Mint + 1/2 Tbsp finely diced cucumber. Mix in a bowl & serve as accompaniment.

Leftovers should thicken more & I love it on toast for breakfast.


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## Pam Leavy (Dec 20, 2004)

That sounds really nice!!  I will try that after Christmas.

Pam


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## SierraCook (Dec 21, 2004)

This recipe is from my recipe files, I have not tried it, yet.  But it looked good.  The sausages just could be omitted from the recipe.


Lentil Tomato Soup with Red Wine

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3-4 gourmet sausage links (e.g. chicken and basil), sliced
1 (28 ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, with liquid
2 (14.5 ounce) cans chicken broth
2 cups dry brown lentils
1/2 cup red wine
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Place the onions in the pot and saute for 2-3 minutes. Add sausage and saute for 5-7 more minutes, or until onions are tender and sausage lightly browned.
Add lentils and stir until slightly toasted, about 1 minute. Break up the canned tomatoes into chunks and add to the pot, along with the tomato juices (if you desire a smoother base, you can puree the tomatoes in a food processor or blender before adding to the pot.) Add chicken broth.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and let simmer for 20 minutes. Then, stir in the wine, garlic, nutmeg and cloves. Simmer for at least 25 more minutes, or until lentils are tender.


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## SierraCook (Dec 21, 2004)

Brooksy, try this link below.

http://vegweb.com/recipes/beans/index-beans-lentils.shtml


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## Yakuta (Dec 21, 2004)

I have shared the recipe for fragrant lentil rice many a times.  It is chockful of veggies, lentils and you can add meat to it as well.

2 cups Lentils ( I like to cook mine in a pot of boiling water until they are aldente).  Drain and reserve on the side (just like cooking pasta)

2 cups of long grain rice (cooked similar to lentils, by boiling a pot full of water, adding salt and then washed rice to the water.  Let the rice cook in the boiling water until al dente, then drain in a colander and reserve on the side)

Now aromatics - One small medium onion sliced thinly, red and green bell pepper strips, handful of frozen peas, 1 jalapeno finely chopped (if you like it spicy), 3 cloves of garlic finely chopped, handful of freshly chopped mint and cilantro, zest of a lemon and juice of half of a lemon.  Salt and black pepper to taste, 1/4 tsp of cinnamon powder.   Canola or any other mild cooking oil (about 3 tbsp), 1 tsp of whole cumin seeds, salt and pepper to taste.

In a large saute pan, add the oil.  WHen it's hot, thrown in the cumin seeds, garlic and jalapeno and let them saute for a minute.  Next add the onions and fry until they are golden brown and crisp.  Next add the peas and bell peppers and saute them for a minute.  Now add the cinnamon powder, lemon zest and lemon juice follwed by the lentils, rice, cilantro and mint.  Stir to combine.  Taste for salt and pepper and adjust as needed.  

Cover and let this cook on the lowest flame setting for 30-40 minutes.  

You can throw in chicken breasts or even ground beef to this recipe as well.  

Serve with raita (here is how I make mine) - 1 cup of whole milk yogurt, 1/2 yellow onion finely diced, 1 small cucumber finely diced, 1 tomato finely diced, handful of cilantro and mint, salt and black pepper to taste, dash of lemon juice.  Stir all this together, cover and chill in the refrigerator.


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## Brooksy (Dec 21, 2004)

Stone the Crows!

Thanks for all the suggestions. What can I say?

Question: Is Cilantro the same as coriander (leaves)?

We make our own yogurt as well.

To make raita I like to make a special yogurt by adding extra cream, powder milk and a bit of sugar to the yogurt starter. Not too much sugar though. I'm looking forward to trying yours Yakuta, as well as your lentils & rice. Thanks.

Thanks also Sierra, looking forward to it & thanks for the link, it's loading as I type (trying Mozilla browser) . 

WOW. What a selection! Thank you very much.

Sorry I didn't reply earlier, but been extremely busy away from the computer.
As this is my last post until after Xmas, may I wish you all a very, very Merry Christmas and a happy, safe and prosperous New Year from MDW, extended and immediate family, and especially myself.

You are all worth a million dollars.

Thank you.


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## Yakuta (Dec 22, 2004)

Brooksy, yes cilantro is the same as corrainder leaves.  It's called cilantro in the US but outside of that most places it is called corrainder leaves.


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## Pam Leavy (Dec 27, 2004)

Sierracook, may I also thank you for the site.  I am off for the next two weeks and plan to do some experimenting!

Pam


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## PA Baker (Dec 27, 2004)

Brooksy, I've never tried this one but it sounds interesting...

*Lentil Stuffed Tomatoes*

½ c uncooked white rice
½ c red lentils
1 c boiling water
2 Tbsp butter
1 onion, chopped
1 Tbsp chopped fresh mint leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
8 medium tomatoes
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 clove garlic, crushed

Rinse rice and lentils in a strainer.  Place in a small saucepan and stir in boiling water.  Cover and cook for 10 minutes over medium heat.

Meanwhile, melt butter in a sauté pan.  Add onion, and sauté until golden brown over medium low heat.  Stir in lentil mixture and mint.  Season generously with salt and pepper.

Slice the tops off the tomatoes, and reserve.  Scoop out the middles, and reserve.  Fill tomato shells with lentil mixture, and replace the tops.  Stand in a baking dish.

Chop reserved tomato middles, and place in a small bowl.  Mix in oil and garlic.  Pour around stuffed tomatoes.

Bake in a preheated 450F oven for 10-15 minutes.  Remove from oven and serve.


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## PA Baker (Dec 27, 2004)

[b]Sicilian Lentil Pasta Sauce[/b]

2 tsp olive oil
1 c chopped onion
2 c fresh sliced mushrooms
1 small zucchini, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 c dry lentils
3 c water
2 (8 oz) cans tomato sauce
1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
1 ½ tsp white sugar
½ c water

In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat.  Add onions, mushrooms, zucchini, and garlic.  Cook and stir until tender, about 5 minutes.

Add lentils and 3 cups water to vegetables.  Bring to a rolling boil, stirring occasionally.  Reduce heat to low, cover and cook 45-60 minutes. 

Stir in tomato sauce, tomato paste, sugar and ½ c water.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes.  If necessary, add more water to keep the sauce from sticking.  Be careful not to dilute—the sauce should be quite thick.


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## Brooksy (Dec 29, 2004)

Thanks PA and Merry Xmas.

A bit late, but I haven't been on for a few days.

I make my own pasta so the Lentil pasta sauce looks really good & I will do that for dinner tonight. I'll do it with either spag or fett, haven't decided yet, but looks like it'd go with macaroni quite well.

If I could share a little Xmas story, I've been doing half the cooking in our house for years & thought I'd been doing a good job. Over the past couple of months I've been doing C&P recipes from here as well as my old fav's.

Always thought I was doing pretty good, until I got 3 cookbooks for Xmas. Not 1, but 3!  

My mob reckoned that the dinners from this site were ok. How do you cipher that?  

DampCharcoal has a lot to answer for with his stuffed hot dogs. Boy I gave them a nudge. Have put on heaps of weight & now trying to lose it.


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## DampCharcoal (Dec 29, 2004)

Hey, Brooksy, glad you're back!    After reading your Christmas story I can only assume that your mob recognizes talent when they see it (and taste it) and have given you those cookbooks so you'll cook more. Otherwise they wouldn't have given you any cookbooks at all! If they're anything like my family, they'll smile politely and spit the food on the floor if they don't like it!    I can't take all the responsibilty for the stuffed dogs, it was a group effort (note how smoothly I pass the buck!)


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## Brooksy (Dec 29, 2004)

Maaaaaaaaaaate,

DC, I gotta tell ya, those stuffed dogs are brilliant! I've had heaps, trying different cheeses etc. You brought 'em up!   (pardon the pun)

It's all your fault.   

I almost have to type with my arms outstretched.   

I've had to ease right up on the food over Xmas & have tried to flush the extra weight away with beer. Hasn't worked though.

My family is very diplomatic, but hindsight is 20/20. I noticed that we went through a lot more bread at some meals than others.   

The books were Jamie Oliver's (2) The Naked Chef & The Return of .....
and, Modern Italian Cooking  by Stephano DePieri.  

Absolutely brilliant!


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## Brooksy (Dec 29, 2004)

Oops 

Jamie's book should have read N*ked - another word for no clothes


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## DampCharcoal (Dec 29, 2004)

Share the good recipes, Brooksy!  8) Pay your family no mind but if they object, you can always spike the bread with laxatives to get them out of your house!


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## Brooksy (Jan 1, 2005)

DampCharcoal said:
			
		

> Share the good recipes, Brooksy!  8) Pay your family no mind but if they object, you can always spike the bread with laxatives to get them out of your house!



rotflmao    

Who's gunna clean up after the first 'follow through'? My kids are huge. Ever wonder why the elephant handler gets paid so much?

I gotta try them all first. Both Stephano and Jamie are those that use technical terms like dollop, handfull, pinch. Did you know that a pinch is less than 1/8 teaspoon? I didn't. Took a long time to find that out.

We're still working through our Xmas cook up. It took me an entire day on 2 BBQs & the day to cook all up, and has lasted quite well. The ham we got looked like an elephant's hind leg, it was huge & took a long time to cook & smoke.
BTW, before I forget. PA, the Sicilian Lentil Pasta Sauce is brilliant!  Have done it twice now, with & without the tomato paste. First time I had none, so I added it yesterday. Just give an extra oomph to the tomato flavour, but it must be a good quality paste.


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## PA Baker (Jan 1, 2005)

So glad you like it, Brooksy!


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## Claire (Jan 9, 2005)

In the curried recipes for lentils, you can use yellow split peas as well.  I like the combination of cauliflower and potatoes in the "soups".  If you make them thick, you can pour over rice as a basic curry type dish.  Serve with a flat bread, and some chutneys and/or indian pickles/relish.  Fun!


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