By Alan Greene, M.D., from Feeding Baby Green.
Lentils are much easier to prepare than other dried legumes – they do not need to be pre-soaked and they cook quickly. When done, they should be firm, but not crunchy.
Ingredients:
½ cup lentils, dried (or 1 cup canned lentils)
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp minced fresh ginger
3 large carrots, large diced
1 cup cauliflower, broken into small florets
1 (14.5 oz.) can of diced tomatoes
1 tsp curry powder
½ cup cooked chickpeas
1 cup green peas
1 ½ cups of water (if using canned lentils, include the liquid from the can with the water to equal 2 cups total)
Kosher salt, to taste
Directions:
- In a large saucepan, cook the dried lentils according to package directions. (For bulk lentils, follow these guidelines: Pick over dried lentils to remove debris, rinse, and drain. Cover with water or broth and boil for 2 to 3 minutes (to aid in digestion). Reduce heat and simmer until tender. Depending on the variety and age of the lentils, cooking time may take anywhere from 10 minutes to 1 hour.) Drain and set aside.
- In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat and sauté the onions and garlic until the onions are tender. Add the ginger and stir.
- Add the carrots and cauliflower to the onion mixture and continue to cook until the carrots are warm all the way through, but still crisp. Add the tomatoes and curry powder and cook a few minutes more.
- Add the lentils, chickpeas, green peas, and water. Simmer on low heat for about 20 minutes. Season with salt to taste. Turn off heat if you are not serving immediately to prevent the vegetables from becoming too mushy. The flavors will intensify and blend beautifully. Reheat briefly before serving.
Serves 4 (Yield: 8 cups)
Feeding Baby Green, by Alan Greene, M.D. Reprinted with permission of the publisher, John Wiley & Sons Canada Ltd.
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