SPICED YELLOW LENTILS WITH QUINOA
This lentil dish is inspired by Mark Bittman's revelatory article and dal recipes that ran in The New York Times Magazine on Dec. 2, 2012. I didn't have a fresh green chile in the fridge so I used a little cayenne instead to spice it up. I wanted to introduce some color so I added half of a red bell pepper that was in my refrigerator to the mix. I am making the cilantro optional because I didn't have any even though normally I would have used it; the dish was fine without it.
Provided by Martha Rose Shulman
Categories dinner, weekday, main course
Time 1h30m
Yield 4 to 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 16
Steps:
- Rinse the quinoa thoroughly and combine with the water and salt in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce the heat to low. Simmer 15 to 20 minutes, until the white quinoa displays a little white spiral. Turn off the heat, remove the lid and place a dish towel over the top of the pot. Return the lid and let sit for 15 minutes. The quinoa will now be fluffy. Keep warm.
- Meanwhile, combine the lentils, ginger, turmeric and onion half (don't chop it) with 1 quart water and salt to taste (about 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons) and bring to a gentle boil. Stir only once to make sure there are no lentils sticking to the bottom of the pot. Reduce the heat to medium - the lentils should simmer briskly - and cook uncovered until the lentils are tender, 30 to 40 minutes. Stir in the lime juice or tamarind concentrate and add another 1/2 cup water. Stir together and simmer for another minute. Turn off the heat and using an immersion blender, an Indian mathani (a wooden tool used for mashing dal) or a wooden Mexican hot chocolate mixer, partially pureé the dal. It should be thick but not like a pureed soup.
- Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a small saucepan or small frying pan (such as an 8-inch omelet pan). Add the cumin seeds and allow to sizzle, stirring, for 10 seconds. Add the garlic and cook until lightly colored, about 15 seconds. Add the red pepper and cook until slightly softened, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat and pour over the lentils. Add the cayenne pepper and 1 tablespoon of the cilantro and stir gently. Taste and adjust seasoning.
- Serve the quinoa with the dal spooned on top. Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 270, UnsaturatedFat 6 grams, Carbohydrate 41 grams, Fat 7 grams, Fiber 6 grams, Protein 12 grams, SaturatedFat 1 gram, Sodium 324 milligrams, Sugar 2 grams, TransFat 0 grams
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Jegede Damilare
damilarej@gmail.comThis dish is a keeper! I'll definitely be making it again.
Immanho jr
immanho.jr@hotmail.comI've made this dish several times and it's always a hit. It's a great way to use up leftover lentils.
Anothai Khongphusit
anothaik@hotmail.comThis is a great recipe for a weeknight meal. It's quick and easy to make, and it's healthy too.
Darren Hawkshaw
hdarren@hotmail.co.ukI'm not a huge fan of lentils, but I really enjoyed this dish. The spices really elevated the flavor.
Roye Ball
royeb@aol.comThis dish is a great option for meal prep. I made a big batch on Sunday and ate it throughout the week for lunch.
Qadiijo Chanal
c_q@hotmail.comThe leftovers were just as good as the fresh dish. I reheated them in the microwave and they were still flavorful and satisfying.
Abdullasallam Abubakar
abubakar.a@gmail.comI added some chopped vegetables to the dish and it was even better. This is a great way to get your daily dose of veggies.
Simo Limo
limosimo@yahoo.comI wasn't sure how I would like the combination of lentils and quinoa, but I was pleasantly surprised. The two grains complement each other well.
Qasim ch
qasim.c@yahoo.comI substituted brown rice for the quinoa and it was still delicious. This is a great recipe for a healthy and satisfying meal.
sudais jan
jan24@gmail.comThe recipe was easy to follow and the dish came together quickly. I will definitely be making this again!
Suman Sunar
sunar@aol.comI made this dish for my family and they loved it! Even my picky kids ate it without complaint.
Charline Obontle
c_obontle@yahoo.comI followed the recipe exactly and it turned out great! The lentils were cooked perfectly and the spices were flavorful.
victoria Uwem
victoria92@gmail.comThis spiced yellow lentils with quinoa dish was a hit! The flavors were well-balanced and the quinoa added a nice texture.