In Advent: 7 Lentil Dishes

Advent is a great time to remember beans like lentils. It is very useful, rich in protein (which is important for those who have given up meat food), contains B vitamins and many minerals.

Advent is a great time to remember beans like lentils. It is very useful, rich in protein (which is important for those who have given up meat food), contains B vitamins and many minerals. And what is especially pleasant for cooks is that it cooks quickly, unlike the more familiar peas and beans.

We offer 7 simple and delicious lentil dishes that will help diversify your diet.

1. Spicy lentils with spinach

 

200 g red or orange lentils, 150 g spinach (frozen will do), 2-3 g cinnamon, 3 g ground white pepper, 6 g paprika, 7-8 g turmeric, 5 g cumin, 10 g salt, 30-40 ml vegetable oil.

Take a thick-walled saucepan, deep frying pan or cast iron saucepan. Pour vegetable oil into it and heat it up. After adding all the spices (except salt), mix and heat for 3-4 minutes, they should begin to emit pleasant aromas. Then put the washed lentils into the oil. Fry for 1-2 minutes, then pour in water (about 0.5-0.7 l), you can immediately boil water, salt, make a minimum fire and cook for about a quarter of an hour.

At this time, prepare the spinach, defrost if required, and chop. Send to the lentils to steam under a covered lid, but already remove from the heat. You can serve it to the table in 15-20 minutes.

2. Dumplings with lentils

 

100 g brown lentils, 300 g flour, 120-140 ml vegetable oil, onion, 5-8 g ground black pepper, salt.

Pour 150-200 ml of water into a saucepan, add 5 g of salt and bring to a boil.

Mix the flour with vegetable oil, and then beat with a mixer, adding the previously obtained boiling water. When the dough becomes elastic enough, it must be wrapped with cling film and sent for half an hour in the refrigerator.

At this time, rinse the lentils, pour water so that it covers 2 fingers, cook until fully cooked. After cooling, salt and mash into a puree.

Fry the onion and send to the beans, add black pepper there. Mix stuffing.

Sprinkle the table with flour, roll out the dough on it with a thin layer. Cut out even small circles (5-7 cm in diameter) with a glass or a mold. With wet hands, form balls from lentils, place them in the center of half of the circles, cover the filling with the remaining, connect and form the characteristic "ears" of dumplings, holding the opposite sides of the product.

Throw dumplings in boiling water for 5-7 minutes, remove with a slotted spoon. Or freeze for future use in the same way as meat.

3. Lentil and Pumpkin Puree Soup

 

150 g red lentils, 40 g ginger root, 60 ml coconut milk, 40 ml vegetable oil, 300 g pumpkin, 35 ml lemon juice, 2 garlic cloves, onion, 5 g cumin, 10-15 g cilantro, 70 g pumpkin seeds ( optional).

Peel the pumpkin and grate. Heat vegetable oil in a cauldron, pour chopped garlic and onion into it, fry for 5-7 minutes. Then pour in 1 liter of water (you can use vegetable broth), add washed lentils, salt, add cumin. After 10 minutes, introduce the pumpkin. Boil for about a quarter of an hour, then puree the mass with a blender or mash with a crush, and then beat with a mixer (the effect will be the same). However, in the process, you need to cover the top of the cauldron with thick paper or cardboard to protect the kitchen from splashes.

After returning the soup to the fire, add water if necessary, after 5 minutes add lemon juice and peeled grated ginger. After the same amount, remove the dish from the stove and let it brew. Serve with tsp. coconut milk, chopped fresh cilantro and peeled toasted pumpkin seeds.

4. Lentils stewed with mushrooms

150 g red lentils, 250 g oyster mushrooms or champignons, onion, 2-3 stalks of celery, carrots.

Cut the onion into half rings, celery into circles, and grate the carrots. Fry them in a deep frying pan or cauldron. Wash mushrooms, cut into pieces, add to vegetables, simmer with fry until they change color. Then rinse the lentils and add to the cauldron, pour in 1 liter of water / vegetable broth, salt. Cook for 15-20 minutes until the beans are done.

5. Warm salad with lentils

 

100 g green lentils, purple onion, large red bell pepper, zucchini, 50 g dill, 5 g dried celery, 5 g paprika, 5 g sugar, salt.

Rinse the lentils, pour 0.5 liters of water and cook until tender (about 20 minutes). Then drain excess liquid.

Cut the zucchini into large cubes, put in a preheated pan with vegetable oil, fry until softened, then add chopped bell pepper and large onion half rings, salt, add sugar, celery and paprika. After 5 minutes, add the lentils, lightly sweat them together and remove from heat, serve immediately, sprinkled with dill.

6. Lentil pate

 

150 g red lentils, 50 g walnuts, onion, carrot, 60 ml vegetable oil, 2 garlic cloves, 5 g sugar, 10 g salt.

Rinse the lentils, pour 200 ml of water and cook until it changes color to yellow, absorbs water (a little more than a quarter of an hour). Along the way, sometimes you will need to remove the foam.

Fry the walnuts in a dry frying pan, peel, chop with a knife.

Finely chop the onion, grate the carrots, keep them on fire for 5-8 minutes.

Combine lentils, roast, nuts, add crushed garlic, salt, sugar. Puree the mass with a blender for 6-8 minutes.

7. Lentils with stewed carrots

140 g of green lentils, 4-5 large carrots, onion, 2 cloves of garlic, 5 g of hot red ground pepper, 50 g of tomato paste.

Peel the carrots, cut into half rings. Rinse the lentils, pour 1 liter of water, cook for about half an hour.

Peel the onion, cut into half rings and lightly fry in a heated deep frying pan with vegetable oil. Then add crushed garlic, hold them together for 30-40 seconds, add tomato paste and red hot ground pepper, simmer for 5 minutes. Pour carrots into the pan, salt, mix, fry, so that it only “grabs” slightly, changing color a little. Then add lentils to vegetables, stew them together for 5-8 minutes. And cover with a lid, leaving to infuse for a quarter of an hour.

Bon appetit!