Lentils

[liuzhou]

I know we have a lentil soup topic but, much as I love lentil soup, I'm looking for other ideas. Indian style dhal is one I make. Any others?

 

Lentils are hard to find here in China, so I want to put my latest purchase to good use.

Red, yellow, brown, green. Whatever.

 

 

 

Edited April 12, 2021 by liuzhou (log)

[weinoo]

I'm a fan of a classic French lentil salad - but I think they're best made with Le Puy lentils, or the black caviar lentils, as they both hold their shape quite well.

 

 

 

Might work if you cook those lentils just so. Lebovitz's take on it here...

 

https://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2014/04/french-lentil-salad-with-goat-cheese-and-walnuts-from-my-paris-kitchen.html

[Darienne]

A wonderful Middle Eastern recipe with I have for breakfast often.  Megadarra.  Basically lentils (I use the green or brown ones), rice and fried onions.  

 

And of course that wonderful soup, Harira, which has no doubt hundreds of variations.  I was first taken with it because I'd never seen a soup before with lentils, chickpeas and rice.  But that's just my recipe.  

[Alex]

15 minutes ago, Darienne said:

A wonderful Middle Eastern recipe with I have for breakfast often.  Megadarra.  Basically lentils (I use the green or brown ones), rice and fried onions.  

 

And of course that wonderful soup, Harira, which has no doubt hundreds of variations.  I was first taken with it because I'd never seen a soup before with lentils, chickpeas and rice.  But that's just my recipe.  

 

Megadarra sounds very much like mujadara. Could they be essentially the same dish from two areas, only with different names and perhaps some regional variations?

[liuzhou]

On 4/12/2021 at 9:13 PM, weinoo said:

I think they're best made with Le Puy lentils

 

Well, yes. But I can't get them here at the moment. The European exporters are all in lockdown.

 

And when I can they are damned expensive. But for the right recipe I'd splash out.

Edited May 14, 2023 by liuzhou (log)

[Alex]

There's Joe Beef's Lentils Like Baked Beans. I don't know what's available by you, but I imagine there'd be appropriate substitutions for some of the ingredients.

[Darienne]

30 minutes ago, Alex said:

 

Megadarra sounds very much like mujadara. Could they be essentially the same dish from two areas, only with different names and perhaps some regional variations?

Absolutely.  According to Claudia Roden, A Book of Middle Eastern Food, my go-to Middle Eastern cookbook since 1974: "Megadarra: Here is a modern version of a medieval dish called mujaddara, described by al-Baghdadi as a dish of the poor...".  Roden has a very interesting write-up of the history of the dish.  But then I like her entire cookbook particularly for her write-ups on each dish. 

[weinoo]

1 hour ago, Darienne said:

Claudia Roden, A Book of Middle Eastern Food

 

A classic, seminal cookbook.  Kalustyan's always had a small cafe upstairs; one of the dishes they made every day - mujaddara.

[Alex]

1 hour ago, Darienne said:

Absolutely.  According to Claudia Roden, A Book of Middle Eastern Food, my go-to Middle Eastern cookbook since 1974: "Megadarra: Here is a modern version of a medieval dish called mujaddara, described by al-Baghdadi as a dish of the poor...".  Roden has a very interesting write-up of the history of the dish.  But then I like her entire cookbook particularly for her write-ups on each dish. 

 

And I have that book! Thanks for doing my research for me.  ;-}

[jimb0]

i like doing them in an ethiopian style, which is basically dal with different spices - chicken broth, onion, garlic, tomato, niter kibbeh and berbere. i usually like the flavour profile better than the indian versions.

Edited April 12, 2021 by jimb0 (log)

[Nancy in Pátzcuaro]

I can vouch for mujadara as a great use of lentils. Lentils, brown rice, caramelized onions, plain yogurt and chopped mint--deceptively simple but utterly delicious. Another example of how the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. I'd never thought of eating it for breakfast, but it sounds like a good idea. I've come a long way from when I thought breakfast meant eggs and bacon (though I do like that) but also could mean tamales, for instance. 

[Darienne]

A cooking friend sent me her recipe for an ersatz liverwurst made from green/brown lentils, walnuts and fried onions with chicken broth.  Made it...added extra Better than Bouillon and I must say it's rather good.  Had it for breakfast this morning on toast with horseradish mustard.   

[Nancy in Pátzcuaro]

I'm intrigued by this "liverwurst" recipe--could you post it? I'd like to give it a try. Got all the ingredients already.

[Darienne]

42 minutes ago, Nancy in Pátzcuaro said:

I'm intrigued by this "liverwurst" recipe--could you post it? I'd like to give it a try. Got all the ingredients already.

I have no legitimate source for the recipe.  I'll pm it to you.  

[shain]

On 4/12/2021 at 4:37 PM, liuzhou said:

And when I can they are damned expensive. But for the right recipe I'd splash out.

 

IMO, French lentil salad really is the best showcase for this type of lentils.

[liuzhou]

On 4/14/2021 at 1:02 AM, shain said:

 

IMO, French lentil salad really is the best showcase for this type of lentils.

 

 I know. I'm half French. My French grandmother made lentil salad all the time. But she is long gone.

Edited May 14, 2023 by liuzhou (log)

[shain]

On 4/12/2021 at 5:08 PM, Darienne said:

Absolutely.  According to Claudia Roden, A Book of Middle Eastern Food, my go-to Middle Eastern cookbook since 1974: "Megadarra: Here is a modern version of a medieval dish called mujaddara, described by al-Baghdadi as a dish of the poor...".  Roden has a very interesting write-up of the history of the dish.  But then I like her entire cookbook particularly for her write-ups on each dish. 

 

17 hours ago, Nancy in Pátzcuaro said:

I can vouch for mujadara as a great use of lentils. Lentils, brown rice, caramelized onions, plain yogurt and chopped mint--deceptively simple but utterly delicious. Another example of how the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. I'd never thought of eating it for breakfast, but it sounds like a good idea. I've come a long way from when I thought breakfast meant eggs and bacon (though I do like that) but also could mean tamales, for instance. 

 

Mujadara is great. There are two main styles, the older one being made with bulgur wheat and this is the version I prefer by far. The rice version is newer in relative terms is also tasty but not one I ever crave. Lots of caramelized onions, spices and butter (in my version, some use oil), thick yogurt and pine nuts to serve.

[Darienne]

3 hours ago, shain said:

 

IMO, French lentil salad really is the best showcase for this type of lentils.

I'd love to have the recipe for lentil salad that you use, Shai.  Please.  

[Naftal]

On 4/12/2021 at 9:33 AM, Alex said:

 

Megadarra sounds very much like mujadara. Could they be essentially the same dish from two areas, only with different names and perhaps some regional variations?

IMO they are the same. And this dish is also one of my favorites!  I would highly recommend that you try it at least once.

[MokaPot]

If someone could please post a recipe for mujadara, that would be great as well.

[Darienne]

20 minutes ago, MokaPot said:

If someone could please post a recipe for mujadara, that would be great as well.

https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/brown-lentils-and-rice-with-caramelized-onions

[shain]

 

23 hours ago, Darienne said:

I'd love to have the recipe for lentil salad that you use, Shai.  Please.  

 

That's my recipe as I wrote it down, though I rarely follow it exactly. Note that this is not the classic French version, just inspired by it.

 

• 180g black lentils, soaked, cooked and drained
• 5-6 young celery stalks, diced
• 1 shallot, finely diced
• 150g tomato, finely diced (optional)
• a handful of arugula leaves, torn (optional)
• 80g potent Roquefort or another blue cheese, not too soft, crumbled
• a tsp fresh thyme leaves
• 1/3 tsp Dijon mustard
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
• pepper

 

• Mix everything but the arugula together.
• Add arugula before serving.
• Serve at room temp, it is not tasty when chilled.

 

Edited April 14, 2021 by shain (log)

[Darienne]

6 hours ago, shain said:

 

 

That's my recipe as I wrote it down, tough I rarely follow it exactly. Note that this is not the classic French version, just inspired by it.

 

• 180g black lentils, soaked, cooked and drained
• 5-6 young celery stalks, diced
• 1 shallot, finely diced
• 150g tomato, finely diced (optional)
• a handful of arugula leaves, torn (optional)
• 80g potent Roquefort or another blue cheese, not too soft, crumbled
• a tsp fresh thyme leaves
• 1/3 tsp Dijon mustard
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
• pepper

 

• Mix everything but the arugula together.
• Add arugula before serving.
• Serve at room temp, it is not tasty when chilled.

 

Looks delicious.  Thanks so much.  

[Katie Meadow]

This is a great recipe to be served along with Greek spreads or whenever; it's a bit chunkier than most spreads, so it also works served as a mound of salad. Great with fresh baguette or plain crackers. I like it best warm.

 

GREEK LENTIL MEZZE

 

¾ c small French lentils (Le Puy)                                                1-2 small zukes, quartered and sliced

1 small onion                                                                                1 skinned tomato, minced

3 leeks, greener parts only in ¾ in pieces                                 ¼ c mixed roasted peppers, diced

1 medium carrot, finely diced                                                      salt and pepper

1-2 cloves minced garlic                                                             vinegar

 

Rinse lentils. Pour over boiling water and let sit 15 min. Drain, add lentils to a small saucepan, cover w/an inch of water and simmer 10 min. Set aside for a few minutes. Drain and reserve ¼ c liquor.

 

In a sauté pan stew onion in generous amount olive oil over very low flame, 5 min. Add leeks, cook another 5-8 min, mostly covered. Add garlic and carrot, continue to stew another 5 min. Add zukes, cook a few min. Add tomato, peppers, salt and black pepper. Stew 5 more min. Add back in drained lentils and a small amount of liquor. Add some more olive oil as necessary and a splash of vinegar to taste. Cook a few min more and remove from heat. When almost cooled taste for salt and oil, add as necessary.

[Anna N]

So the formatting led me to believe that this recipe called for me to slice lentils. This just seemed like a bridge too far.