Indian Restaurant Red Lentil and Spinach Soup

Indian Restaurant Red Lentil and Spinach Soup

Although this is not an authentic Indian recipe, it is my take on lentil and spinach soup that I have enjoyed at Indian restaurants in California.
Serve with naan flatbread. If you don't have naan (Indian flat bread) heat a dry flour tortilla in the microwave for about 10 seconds, it makes a good substitute.

2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 medium yellow onion (about 1 cup), diced
2 Tablespoons butter
1 Tablespoon (or 1 cube) chicken bouillon powder
2 teaspoons dried basil, crushed
1 1/2 teaspoons cardamom powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
a pinch cayenne pepper (or to taste - optional)
5 cups water
2 cups dried red lentils, cleaned, rinsed and drained
2 cups (28 oz can) plain diced tomatoes
1 1/2 cups (about 10 oz) spinach, from frozen, thawed
1/2 cup plain yogurt, for garnish
naan flat bread, or heated flour tortillas cut into quarters.
In a 5-qt stockpot, fry diced onions in olive oil until lightly browned.
Add the butter and the remaining dry spices and fry for a minute or two.
Add remaining water and ingredients (except for yogurt and flat bread) and stir well.
Bring to a boil, add cover, reduce heat and simmer for 30-minutes,
stirring occasionally, unitl lentils are soft and done.
Place a cup of the lentils and broth in a blender, food processor or use a stick blender.
Blend and add back to stockpot. This will help to thicken the soup.
Serve in bowls with a tablespoon of plain yogurt on top for garnish and
naan flatbread (or a heated flour tortilla) on the side.
Makes about 8 cups.

Mujadarah

Mujadarah (Rice, Lentil, and Caramelized Onion Pilaf)
Serves 4 as a one dish meal
Vegetarian, vegan (if you use oil or margarine instead of butter), and gluten free
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour

• 3 pounds white onions, sliced moderately thin
• 2 T. butter
• 2 T. vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup white wine or vermouth (optional)
• 1.5 c brown or green lentils (not red lentils or french lentils!)
• 2 c. long grain white or brown rice (I prefer the brown for a bit more character)
• 1/4 t. ground cinammon
• 1/4 t. ground cumin
• salt and pepper
• flat leaf parsley for serving

Melt the butter along with the oil and 1 t. salt in your largest skillet, and add the onions. Set heat on medium-low and stir occasionally until very soft, about 45 minutes. Turn heat to medium high and keep cooking and stirring often until deeply browned and sweet, another 20 minutes or more. Deglaze pan with white wine or vermouth (or water) and stir into the onions to get more flavor. See “caramelized onions” in Joy of Cooking for a more thorough description of the process. If pressed for time you can do a higher heat version of this but the results won’t be as tasty.

Meanwhile, cook the rice and the lentils separately according to your usual method. The lentils need to be watched carefully. You don’t want them still crunchy , but you definitely want to retain their shape. We aren’t making lentil soup here. Some folks cook the rice and lentils together but I don’t think that gives you enough control over the texture.

When everything is cooked, fold the rice, lentils, spices, half of the onions, and more salt and pepper together in a large bowl. Taste and adjust seasonings.

To serve, form a large mound, top with the remaining caramelized onions and chopped parsley, a grind of pepper and a few grains of sea salt. Pass a bowl of thick Greek yogurt to mix in as desired. It is really good at room temperature, and just gets better after a day in the refrigerator.

 http://herbivoracious.com/2007/10/recipe-mujadara.html

Spiced Potatoes with Lentils & Barley

Lemon spiced potatoes contrast beautifully with nutty barely and delicate lentils. Peas add the sweetness of early Spring to this rustic crowd pleaser. This recipe comes to us from Trudy of Veggie.Num.Num.
Serves 4

• 1 cup pearl barley*, soaked and drained
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 ¼ pound new potatoes or other small waxy potatoes, scrubbed
• 2 garlic cloves, diced
• 1 red chili**, diced
• 2 teaspoons Cajun spice mix***
• 1 cup dried brown lentils, rinsed
• 2 ½ cups low sodium vegetable stock
• Zest of 1 lemon
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 cup peas, fresh or frozen and thawed
• ½ cup parsley, roughly chopped

*Pre-soak the barley before you start cooking by placing in water and setting aside in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
**optional
*** Cajun spice mix can be found premixed in the spice aisle of most grocery stores, but if time allows try making your own low sodium Cajun seasoning.
Bring 1 ½ cups unsalted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the lentils and keep at a rolling boil for 2 minutes. Turn heat down and simmer uncovered for 10-25 minutes more. Cooking time will depend on how old the lentils are so taste often and simmer until lentils have reached desired tenderness. When lentils are tender, remove from heat and season with salt to taste. Set aside.
Heat a little olive oil in a large fry pan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and chili if using. Cook for 1-2 minutes, or until garlic begins to soften.
Add the whole potatoes and sprinkle with Cajun seasoning. Fry the potatoes turning occasionally for 5-8 minutes, or until golden.
Transfer potato mixture to a large pot. Drain the barely and add it to the pot. Add vegetable stock, lentils and lemon juice. Bring to a boil.
Turn heat down and simmer, partially covered, for 20-25 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. Add more stock if needed.
Once the potatoes are cooked, add the lemon rind, peas and parsley. Toss until combined and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Mushroom Lentil Barley Stew

Mushroom Lentil Barley Stew
OP?
Ingredients:
2 quarts vegetable broth
2 cups sliced fresh button mushrooms
1 ounce dried shiitake mushrooms, torn
into pieces
3/4 cup uncooked pearl barley
3/4 cup dry lentils
1/4 cup dried onion flakes
2 teaspoons minced garlic
3 bay leaves
1 teaspoon dried basil
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
salt to taste
Directions:
1.In a slow cooker, mix the broth, button mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms, barley, lentils, onion flakes, garlic, savory, bay leaves, basil, pepper, and salt.
2.Cover, and cook 4 to 6 hours on High or 10 to 12 hours on Low. Remove bay leaves before serving

Recipe from allrecipes.com

Cheesy Lentil Crispies

Cheesy Lentil Crispies
Adapted from this recipe
Makes about 30

1/2 cup trans-fat free margarine/butter spread (I used Earth Balance)
1 cup gluten free all-purpose flour (traditional all-purpose flour can be used as well – search out for whole wheat!)
1 cup brown rice crispies
3/4 cup cheddar cheese
3/4 cup red lentils, cooked and pureed
1 egg, beaten


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Using a fork, mash trans-fat free margarine or butter spread and flour together until the consistency and look is similar to oatmeal.
Add brown rice crispies, cheese, and lentil puree to flour mixture and stir until incorporated.
Add in egg and mix until combined.
Use 1 tbsp amounts to form your crispies. You can roll them in a ball and then flatten with a fork or you can roll them into a snake shape and flatten them into sticks. Place on ungreased baking sheet and bake for about 15 minutes.

http://www.tasteofhealthygoodness.com/2012/01/spotlight-on-lentils/

Beef & Lentil Samosas

Beef & Lentil Samosas

Beef and brown or green lentils go wonderfully together as a filling for crisp samosas. These are traditionally fried, but could alternatively be baked; set on a rimmed, parchment-lined sheet, brush with oil and bake at 425˚F for 20-30 minutes until golden.

Ingredients

Filling:
1 small onion, finely chopped
1/2 lb. (250 g) lean ground beef
1 cup (250 mL) cooked green or brown lentils, rinsed and drained if canned
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tsp. (10 mL) grated fresh ginger
1 tsp. (5 mL) cumin
1/2 tsp. garam masala
salt and pepper
2 green onions, finely chopped
1/4 cup (60 mL) chopped fresh cilantro
2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 pkg. samosa or spring roll wrappers, thawed if frozen
canola oil, for cooking

Directions

In a large, heavy skillet, cook the onion in a drizzle of oil over medium-high heat for 5 minutes, until transparent. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking the meat up with a spoon, until it's no longer pink. Add the jalapeño, garlic and ginger and cook for another 2 minutes. Add the cumin, garam masala, salt and pepper, then the green onions and cilantro. Cook for another minute or two, stirring to combine everything well, then remove from heat.
In a small dish, stir together the flour and 2 Tbsp. water to form a paste. Fill and fold the samosas. (Note: if you don’t know how to do this, Google it for visuals. Generally you want to fold over the end of a strip of wrapper to form a triangle, form it again to form a pocket, fill the pocket, then keep folding, maintaining the triangle shape, to the end of the wrapper. Use the paste to seal it closed and fill any holes in the tips of the three corners.
In a medium heavy pot, heat a couple inches of canola oil over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Fry a few at a time, without crowding the pot, flipping as necessary as they turn golden. Remove with tongs or a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain. Serve warm. Makes about 2 dozen samosas,
 
http://www.lentils.ca/recipes/beef-lentil-samosas

Five-Spice Lentil Soup

Five-Spice Lentil Soup

 

Ingredients: 

1 pound lentils, rinsed (red or green)

1/2 cup chopped onion

3 garlic cloves, chopped

1/2 cup celery, chopped

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 quarts water (more if needed)

1/2 teaspoon coriander 

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper 

salt to taste 

Directions

In a large pot, place the olive oil and set over medium heat. Add the onions and celery, cook until onions are translucent, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Add the lentils, salt and the five spices, stir to combine. Add water, cover and cook until the lentils are tender, approximately 35 to 40 minutes. Check the lentils after 20 minutes to make sure they have enough water. Taste and adjust salt and liquid if needed. Using a hand blender, puree the soup. Serve with warm garlic bread and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil.

 

Recipe from Delicious Shots.  

Lentil Spaghetti Bolognese

Lentil Spaghetti Bolognese

Ingredients:

4 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced or chopped fine
2 carrots, grated (secret ingredient)
1/2 teaspoon salt
28 oz can, or 2 lb fresh tomato, chopped small or pureed in a blender (800 g)
2 oz sundried tomato, chopped roughly or added to the blender mix (50g)
2 Tbsp of oil from the sundried tomato
1/4 lb, or 1 cup mushrooms, chopped or sliced or diced (125 g)
1 zucchini, grated
1 tsp dried oregano
1 bay leaf
2 cups fresh basil leaf, roughly chopped (20 g)
2 cups cooked lentils (400g)

Directions:

Cook the garlic, salt, onion and carrot in the olive oil until they are very soft.

Add all the other ingredients and simmer with the lid off for at least 25 minutes until you are happy with the consistency.

Adjust salt and pepper to taste.

Serve on spaghetti or your favorite pasta shape after removing the bay leaf.

Savvy Veg Recipe Notes:
One of our recipe testers said that the herbs tasted very strong in the recipe. She suggested cutting back on the basil and oregano. I think it depends on how you measure the basil (should be before your chop), and how much you like oregano (reduce to 1/2 tsp if you're not a big fan.

Lentil And Chicken Soup

Lentil And Chicken Soup
MamaMaddie08 via Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes


1 lb dried lentils
3 small chicken breast halves on the bone, skin and fat removed
2 chicken bullion (I like Maggi)
1 packet Sazon (in Latin section)
1 small onion
4 scallions
3 cloves garlic
1 tomato
1/4 cup chopped cilantro (optional)
8 cups water
In a large pot combine lentils, chicken, water and chicken bullion. Boil, covered over medium-low heat until chicken is cooked, about 15 minutes. Remove chicken from the bone and shred, return to pot.

Meanwhile, in a mini chopper, finely chop onions, scallions, cilantro, garlic, and tomato. Add to the lentils with sazon and cook 15 more minutes, or until lentils are soft. (Add more water if needed)

Note: Sazon is found in the Latino or Mexican aisle. The seasoning is used on meats, fish, poultry, beans and even to flavor soups and stews. Typical ingredients include cilantro, corriander, annatto, azafran, achiote, garlic, onion or salt. Some brands contain MSG so check labels. I buy Badia Sazon Tropical because it has no MSG.

Green Lentil Dish with Caramelized Onion

Green Lentil Dish with Caramelized Onion

(Soganli Mercimek Yemegi)

3/4 cup lentils, soak in water overnight, washed and drained
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp cumin
3 tbsp crushed tomatoes, in can
1 tsp red pepper paste, hot
1 tbsp orzo
2 cups warm chicken stock or beef stock or just water

Garnish:
1 large onion, sliced
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Place all the ingredients in a medium sized pot. Cook for about 20-25 minutes at medium-low heat until the lentils are soften, stir occasionally.

Meanwhile caramelize the sliced onion with olive oil over low heat. Place the dish on a service plate. Then sprinkle the caramelized onion all over the top.

Makes 2-3 servings.

http://turkishcookbook.com/

 

Sweet Potato, Carrot, Apple, and Red Lentil Soup

Ingredients

1/4 cup butter
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
3 large carrots, peeled and chopped
1 apple, peeled, cored and chopped
1 onion, chopped
1/2 cup red lentils
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika
4 cups vegetable broth
plain yogurt

Melt the butter in a large, heavy bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Place the chopped sweet potatoes, carrots, apple, and onion in the pot. Stir and cook the apples and vegetables until the onions are translucent, about 10 minutes.

Stir the lentils, ginger, ground black pepper, salt, cumin, chili powder, paprika, and vegetable broth into the pot with the apple and vegetable mixture. Bring the soup to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the lentils and vegetables are soft, about 30 minutes.

Working in batches, pour the soup into a blender, filling the pitcher no more than halfway full. Hold down the lid of the blender with a folded kitchen towel, and carefully start the blender, using a few quick pulses to get the soup moving before leaving it on to puree. Puree in batches until smooth and pour into a clean pot. Alternately, you can use a stick blender and puree the soup right in the cooking pot.

Return the pureed soup to the cooking pot. Bring back to a simmer over medium-high heat, about 10 minutes. Add water as needed to thin the soup to your preferred consistency. Serve with yogurt for garnish. 

This recipe is from allrecipes..

Curried Lentil Vegetable Stew

Curried Lentil Vegetable StewErika (MsAnthrope) 

1 medium onion, chopped2 medium carrots, diced
1 sweet potato, peeled and diced
1 medium red bell pepper, diced
4 large cloves garlic, minced
2 cups dry red lentils, rinsed and picked over
6 cups vegetable broth
1 tsp cumin
2 tsp curry powder
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine ingredients in slow cooker.  Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours, or until lentils are very soft and stew is thick. Adjust seasoning to taste.

Hearty Lentil Soup

Cook's Illustrated Hearty Lentil Soup Recipe
(4kowboys)

From the Cook's Illustrated website: Lentils du Puy, sometimes called French green lentils, are our first choice for this recipe, but brown, black, or regular green lentils are fine, too. Note that cooking times will vary depending on the type of lentils used. Lentils lose flavor with age, and because most packaged lentils do not have expiration dates, try to buy them from a store that specializes in natural foods and grains. Before use, rinse and then carefully sort through the lentils to remove small stones and pebbles. The soup can be made in advance. After adding the vinegar in step 2, cool the soup to room temperature and refrigerate it in an airtight container for up to 2 days. To serve, heat it over medium-low until hot, then stir in the parsley.


1½ hours
20 min prep



SERVES 4 -6 , 2 quarts



3 slices bacon, cut into 1/4-inch pieces (about 3 ounces)

1 large onion, chopped fine (about 1 1/2 cups)

2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped medium (about 1 cup)

3 medium garlic cloves, minced (about 1 tablespoon)

1 (14 1/2 ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained

1 bay leaf

1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leave

1 cup lentils, rinsed and picked over (7 ounces)

1 teaspoon table salt

ground black pepper

1/2 cup dry white wine

4 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth

1 1/2 cups water

1 1/2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar

3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves

Fry bacon in large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until fat is rendered and bacon is crisp, 3 to 4 minutes.

Add onion and carrots; cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables begin to soften, about 2 minutes.

Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Stir in tomatoes, bay leaf, and thyme; cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Stir in lentils, salt, and pepper to taste; cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook until vegetables are softened and lentils have darkened, 8 to 10 minutes.

Uncover, increase heat to high, add wine, and bring to simmer.

Add chicken broth and water; bring to boil, cover partially, and reduce heat to low.

Simmer until lentils are tender but still hold their shape, 30 to 35 minutes; discard bay leaf.

Puree 3 cups soup in blender until smooth, then return to pot; stir in vinegar and heat soup over medium-low until hot, about 5 minutes.

Stir in 2 tablespoons parsley and serve, garnishing each bowl with some of remaining parsley

Curried Lentil Stew

Curried Lentil Stew

Serves 4 to 6

- 1 tablespoon (15 mL) olive oil

- 1 large onion, chopped

- 2 cloves garlic, minced

- 1 cup (250 mL) dry French lentils, soaked 2 hours or overnight, then drained

- One 28-ounce (796-mL) can diced tomatoes, with liquid

- One 14-ounce (398-mL) can coconut milk

- 1 cup (250 mL) low-sodium chicken broth, or water

- 2 large carrots, diced

- 1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into bite-size pieces

- 1/2 cup (125 mL) raisins

- 11/2 teaspoons (7 mL) curry powder

- 1/2 teaspoon (2 mL) ground cumin

- 1 teaspoon (5 mL) ground ginger (or 1 teaspoon/5 mL) grated fresh gingerroot, peeled)

- 1/4 teaspoon (1 mL) turmeric

- 11/2 teaspoons (7 mL) salt, or less to taste

- 2 cups (500 mL) fresh spinach leaves, chopped

To garnish (any or all):

- Chopped fresh basil leaves, cilantro or parsley

- Plain yogurt

- Diced avocado

- Green onion, chopped

- Goat cheese, crumbled

1. In a frypan, heat olive oil and sauté onion and garlic. Transfer all ingredients (except spinach and garnishes) to slow cooker and cook on Low setting 7 to 8 hours, or until lentils and sweet potatoes are tender.

2. Before serving, fold in spinach. Garnish with your choice of any or all of the garnishes.

Source: The Red Apron


Read more: http://www.montrealgazette.com/life/green-guide/forget/1337085/story.html#ixzz11g79l3Ou

Indian Dal Nirvana

Indian Dal Nirvana

Ingredients:

1 cup dry lentils
6 ounces canned tomato puree
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup water
4 tablespoons butter
1/8 teaspoon salt, more to taste
freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro

In a large sauce pan, add the lentils and fill with water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes until the lentils open and are tender. Drain the water from the lentils and return the lentils to the pot. Stir the lentils around in the pot mashing some of them against the pot to break open. Add the tomato puree, ginger, garlic, cayenne pepper, water, butter, salt and pepper. Cook for 1 hour until the dal is thick. Make sure to check the pot periodically to make sure the water does not cook out.

Stir in cream, garnish with minced cilantro.

From here.