Lentils are a favorite in my family  whether it’s green or brown lentils. They are easy to cook and provide a lot of nutrients.

The recipe given below is Indian style. It’s a recipe I got years ago and that I still use quite often. It’s a great vegetarian dish, especially when combined with plain steamed rice. The spices in the recipe serve as a great counterpoint for rice.  I f desired, you can also serve this dish with couscous or your favorite grain. In fact, I once tried it with  stringed pasta and it came out okay. It also makes for great leftovers.

INDIAN-STYLE LENTILS

Ingredients:

2 cups dried lentils
6 cups water
1 cinnamon stick
1 bay leaf
4 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
2 slices (¼-inch thick) peeled fresh ginger
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds, crushed
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
¾ lemon, sliced into 6 rounds, seeds removed

Instructions:

  1. Wash and drain lentils. Combine lentils, water, cinnamon stick,  bay leaf, garlic, ginger and turmeric in a 4-quart pot. Bring to boil, lower heat, cover and simmer gently until tender, about 35 minutes.
  2.  Heat oil in a skillet or frypan (preferably non-stick). Add crushed cumin seeds. Cook for about 1 minute until lightly browned and fragrant. Add to lentils along with salt, pepper and lemon. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes more.  Remove cinnamon stick and bay leaf, and serve.
    Yield: 4-6 servings.