Tag Archives: Pardina lentils

Spicy Mixed Lentils & Vegetables

17 Saturday Oct 2020

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A delicious way to prepare lentils, mixing them with a mixture of sweet sautéed vegetables spiced with garam masala and chilli then topped with a garnish of sweet caramelised onions and crispy ginger.

For 4 portions

50 grams green lentils

50 grams mung beans

50 grams small white lentils

1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon asafoetida

4 cloves garlic – finely chopped

1 fresh chilli – finely chopped

2 carrots

stick celery

1/4 red pepper

1/2 medium courgette

olive oil for frying

1 1/2 teaspoons garam masala

Piece of fresh ginger – peeled and cut into fine strips

1 large onion – peeled and cut into thin rings

Pinch of white sugar

Soak the three types of lentils in advance, either in cold water overnight if you remember, or pour boiling water over them a couple of hours before you plan to cook them and let them steep. I find that the soaking helps soften the centre of the pulses so that they then cook more evenly.

Drain the lentils from their soaking liquid and put in a pan with enough water to reach about a centimetre over them.

Add the coriander seeds, asafoetida and salt. Bring to a boil and simmer until the lentils are cooked.

Next prepare the garnishes. Heat a couple of tablespoons oil in a small frying pan and add the ginger. Cook until slightly browned and crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon.

Sprinkle a light dusting of sugar on to the onion rings, then slowly fry them in the same pan, adding more oil if needed. The sugar helps the onions caramelise.

Keep frying the onions on a low heat until browned and caramelised. This will take some time, at least 20 minutes, stir them round from time to time.

Now to the vegetables. Cut all the vegetables into small cubes.

Heat two tablespoons of oil in a frying pan and add the garlic and chilli. Fry for a few minutes.

Add the vegetables and stir in. Fry gently for ten minutes stirring from time to time.

Add the garam masala and season with salt. Mix in well and continue frying until the vegetables are cooked and lightly browned.

The lentils should have absorbed nearly all their cooking liquor, if not drain some off leaving the lentils a bit moist.

Add the lentils to the vegetables and stir well to mix. Cook for a couple of minutes for the flavours to infuse.

Serve topped with the caramelised onion rings and crispy ginger.

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Mixed Dal Curry

28 Friday Aug 2020

Posted by in Main Courses, Vegan, Vegetable Dishes

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Dal or lentils have the second highest protein content of pulses after soy beans, and more importantly are very tasty. There are many recipes for dal using a variety of ingredients, so you can adapt to whatever you may have ready in your veg garden or fridge.

The dal are generally boiled with flavourings and then once cooked a fried spice mix is added to complete the flavouring.
My regular readers will already know that I am a great fan of soaking dried pulses and grains for several hours or overnight. I find that this way the centre of the pulse is already softened so then they cook more evenly and quickly.

For 4 portions

70 grams green lentils/ Pardinas

70 grams moong dal/mung beans

50 grams white lentils

125 ml tomato passata / tomato frito

125 grams butternut squash cut into small cubes

Piece of fresh ginger 2x2x2 cm – chopped

1 small green chilli – chopped

1/2 teaspoon salt

For the finishing spice

2 tablespoons peanut or olive oil

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds

8 curry leaves

3 cloves of garlic – finely chopped

piece of ginger 2 x 2 x 4 cm – finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1/2 teaspoon asafoetida

Put the lentils and beans in a container with a generous amount of cold water to allow for absorption. Leave for alt least four hours.

Once the lentils are soaked, drain and put in a pan with the passata, ginger, chilli, butternut squash and salt. Add water to cover.

Bring to the boil then turn down to a simmer.

Check the water level from time to time and add more if needed. You want a fairly wet mix and some of the lentils will break up into the liquid and thicken it.

The lentils should take around 40 minutes to cook through, so check them after this time. If you prefer your curry to be a softer purée, then continue cooking a little longer.

Once the lentils are about done, prepare the spice mix.

Heat the oil in a shallow pan. Add the mustard and cumin seeds, then the curry leaves. Fry for a couple of minutes.

Add the garlic an ginger and fry for a few more minutes until the garlic is lightly browned.

Stir in the turmeric, coriander and asafoetida, then add the spice mix to the pan of lentils.

Stir well to mix in an leave to cook for another five minutes for the flavours to mix.

I served my curry with plain boiled brown rice, spicy spinach salad, a fresh peach chutney and pickles. So tasty! I’ll give you the recipe or the spinach salad and peach chutney tomorrow.


Spicy Green Lentils & Fresh Apple Chutney

13 Monday Jan 2020

Posted by in Main Courses, Vegan, Vegetable Dishes

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This lentil dish is fragrantly spiced with a rich vegetable sauce, then the crisp apple chutney gives a tart and hot contrast to the softness of the lentils.

The lentils – Serves 4

250 grams Pardina or Puy lentils

vegetable stock – about 700 ml

3 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 courgette

1/2 Florence fennel

1/4 celeriac

1 large spring garlic

1 large spring onion

seeds of 10 green cardamoms

6 curry leaves

1/4 teaspoon turmeric

1 heaped teaspoon garam masala

1 teaspoon Maggi wurze

salt and freshly ground black pepper

chard or spinach leaves

Finely chop the garlic and onion

Cut the celeriac, courgette and fennel into about 1 cm dice.

Warm the oil in a large pan and fry the garlic and onion for two to three minutes

Add the vegetables and fry stirring from time to time until lightly browned.

Add the lentils and all the seasonings and then enough stock to cover.
Bring to a simmer, turn the heat down and gently cook until the lentils are tender and the vegetables have made a thickish sauce. Check the liquid level from time to time and add more stock if the dish is getting dry.

Check the seasoning of the lentils and add salt and pepper as needed.

Just before serving stir in the spinach or chard cut into strips. Let cook a couple of minutes for the leaves to wilt and brighten. The lentils taste enven better if cooked the day before you want to serve, like all stews, but leave the addition of the leaves until the last moment again.

The fresh apple chutney

1 crisp slightly tart apple – cut into small dice

fresh green chilli – finely chopped

pinch of salt

1/4 teaspoon sugar

juice from 1/2 lime

Mix all the ingredients together adding the chilli gradually. You want the chutney quite spicy but not blow your head off. Leave to marinate for half an hour or so before serving.