French Green Lentils

[RSteve]

After making some multi-colored rice in a small crockpot, I thought as long as the crockpot was out and I was home I'd make something else in it.. In a canister on the counter is a jar of French Green Lentils. I pulled a quart of chicken stock out of the freezer, defrosted it in the microwave and put it in the crockpot with the tiny lentils. It took about 2.5 hours for the lentils to cook. When they were done I strained them and put them in a bowl. I added toasted sesame oil, agave syrup, granulated garlic, pink Himalayan salt, garam masala, powdered ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, and curry powder. The curried lentils are very tasty. The only problem is that I measured nothing; all was done by memory and taste.

 

[Brewdude]

Sounds like a tasty dish.


Cheers,

RR

 

[Zeno Marx]

I have a pretty decent split pea goop recipe, if you'd like. It includes half lentils, so more accurately, it's a split pea/lentils goop. Great with feta crumbled on top upon serving. Yes, I know, split pea soup is usually made with ham hock. That's an easy get-around. Mine also includes curry. Madras curry if I remember correctly. It's a great pairing.

 

[RSteve]

I have a pretty decent split pea goop recipe, if you'd like.

Please post it here.

 

[Blackhorse]

The thing about recipes…a recipe is the absolutely perfect collection of ingredients adjusted so that the amounts are easily measured using standards like cups and teaspoons, etc. The perfect Lentil Curry might actually have 2 59/64 tablespoons of Yellow Curry…but we’ll use 3 tablespoons, cause it’s WAY easier. So I’m never so concerned with exact measurements.

 

[Timbo]

Yep gotta agree on the measurements there BH, I made char sui (Cantonese BBQ pork) today and winged it on the ingredients. A bit of this and a touch of that, almost none of it measured by anything other than my eyes. It was pretty bloody delicious. Will char it more next time though.

 

[Zeno Marx]

Sorry about the formatting. It's coming off an Open Office document and doesn't want to cooperate. Not included are things like adding a pinch or two of gochugaru (kimchi Korean chili powder). I throw everything, and anything, I have laying around or feel like trying. Never make it the same way twice. Screw tradition.

SPLIT PEA & LENTIL GOOP​

• 2 TBS olive oil
  
• 1 medium or large onion diced
  
• 3 carrots diced
  
• 2 garlic cloves crushed (optional; no need to mince)
  
• other handy vegetables (optional; example: peeled broccoli stalks)
  
• 2 big pinches of sea salt or 1 TBS soy sauce
  
• 1 cup split peas
  
• 1 cup lentils
  
• 1/4 cup dried black beans rinsed (optional; cooks long enough to crack and soften)
  
• 7.5 to 8.5 cups of water (8 cups if with black beans; 8.5 if with black beans + quinoa)
  
• 1 TBS chili powder
  
• 1 TBS Madras curry powder
  
• pinch of cummin
  
• handful of fresh spinach
  
• 1/2 cup large bulgur (soaked and drained)
  
• 1/4 cup quinoa (optional; soaked and drained)

2. in a dutch oven.
   
3. sauté onion, carrots, and other vegetables in olive oil and salt on low heat until onions are translucent. add garlic near the end to avoid burning.
   
4. add split peas, lentils, and black beans. stir.
   
5. add water. stir.
   
6. add chili powder, curry powder, and cummin. stir.
   
7. cook at medium-strong boil with dutch oven lid on for 25 minutes. watch for burning on the bottom.
   
8. open and stir.
   
9. cook at medium-strong boil with dutch oven lid on for 25 minutes. watch for burning on the bottom. add 1/2 cup water if necessary. open and stir.
   
10. in final 10 minutes of next cook (after the 50 minutes), add spinach and quinoa and lower to barely a light simmer. stir.
    
11. turn off the heat, add bulgur, and replace the lid. stir.
    
12. wait 10 minutes with lid closed.
    
13. serve with crackers and/or with feta cheese sprinkled on top.

 

[RSteve]

SPLIT PEA & LENTIL GOOP

Thank you. After I saute the vegetables, I'm going to see if this is successful in the crockpot. I think I may partially cook the black beans after soaking. I also may double the quinoa and leave out the bulgar to make this gluten free.

 

[Zeno Marx]

You can substitute rice for any of it. I first wanted a stew, but then I liked when it came out so thick that it could almost be made into a bun sandwich, like a sloppy joe. Once cool/refrigerated and at its thickest, you could actually make patties out of it and fry them in a skillet with a little olive oil. I'm too lazy to take it another step, though. Slopping a bunch on a plate and sprinkling with feta is plenty good for me.