French Green Lentils from Le Puy de Dôme
LENTILS have an image problem. Lentils are less popular than dried beans, even less than split peas. In French, the word LENTILLES also means contact lens, leading to surreal searches on Yahoo France.
Yet lentils are noble, ancient and scrumptious.
According to Jared Diamond's Guns, Germs and Steel , lentils are a mutation of wild peas. Instead of ripping open, the lentil pods remain closed when the lentils are ripe. Therefore, lentils, which are unusual in the wild, are ideal for human cultivation, as our ancestors discovered about 10,000 years ago in the fertile crescent area East of the Mediterranean.
Lentils are high in proteins, and constitute an important element in a vegetarian diet. They are also quite economical, and a staple on the starving artists' menu.
Lentils require no soaking. They cook fairly fast, and you may basically substitute one variety for another.
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Ordinary lentils, available at the supermarket, are pale brown. They have a lovely flavor, and they are very tender. If cooked a long time, they will dissolve. |
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French lentils, available from specialty suppliers, are usually dark green. They have a great nutty flavor, and they will retain their shape.
You will also find French black lentils, which look like caviar.
You may order fancy lentils from Nature's Wild Rice Company . |
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Dal is the Hindi word for all pulses.
TOOR DAL is the basic Indian lentil. Toor dal has an earthy flavor and it will dissolve if cooked a long time. Avoid the "oily" toor dal, which tastes like castor oil.
CHANA DAL is similar to yellow split peas, which can be substituted if necessary. Chana dal has a meaty flavor, and it keeps its shape.
MASOOR DAL is the same thing as red lentils. Masoor dal has tiny grains and, unfortunately, it looses its haunting salmon color once it's cooked.
URAD DAL is used as a spice: a teaspoon of fried urad dal will impart a wonderful toasted flavor to a recipe.
You may order all dal varieties from Namaste.com . |
RECIPES
BASMATI RICE WITH DAL (4 / 5 servings)
1 1/2 cup Basmati rice
3 tablespoons oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 cinnamon stick
4 green cardamom pods
2 teaspoons sugar
1/4 cup chana dal
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
Inspect the rice, rinse it, and soak it in plenty of cold water for half an hour.
Drain the rice in a strainer for at least 10 minutes.
Cover the dal in a saucepan with plenty of water and simmer with the turmeric until tender, but not mushy. It will take about 20 minutes. Rinse and drain the cooked dal.
Heat the oil on a medium flame. Throw in the cinnamon and cardamom. Let them sizzle a second or two, then add the drained rice. Sauté the rice gently for one minute, stirring very frequently. When rice starts sticking a bit, add exactly two cups hot water, sugar and salt. Increase flame to high and bring to a boil. Add the dal and bring back to a boil. Turn fire down to low and cover the pan. Set your timer for 20 minutes. When it rings, turn the fire off but leave the rice alone, undisturbed, for at least 10 minutes. The rice will stay warm and will not deteriorate in any way if it waits about 30 minutes at this time. Fluff it gently with a fork before serving.
HARIRA (Ramadan "breakfast" soup from Morocco)
2 tablespoons butter
1 lb. lamb, cut into very small cubes
4 cloves garlic, crushed
2 onions, chopped
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cayenne, or to taste
3/4 cup chopped celery
1 cup parsley and cilantro, chopped
1 2-lb. can diced tomatoes, juice and all
1 cup lentils
1/2 cup garbanzo beans, SOAKED OVERNIGHT
1 tablespoon salt
juice of 1 lemon
Cook the garbanzo beans in enough water (they take a while, about one hour).
Heat a soup pot. Throw in the butter, meat, garlic and onion. Stir-fry for a few minutes on a high flame, then add the spices, celery, parsley and cilantro. Stir for 5 minutes.
Add the tomato, about 8 cups of water, the lentils and the salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, partially cover, and simmer for 2 hours. Add the garbanzo beans whenever they are tender.
When ready to serve, add the lemon juice and test the seasoning. The Harira will probably need more salt.
SPICY INDIAN LENTIL SOUP
1/4 cup oil
3 cardamom pods
1 cinnamon stick
2 dried hot chili peppers (Sanaam or similar)
2 onions, chopped
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
2 tomatoes, chopped
1/2 plain yogurt, whisked a bit
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1 can chicken broth (water OK for vegans)
1 cup dal or lentils (I use 50% chana dal and 50% regular lentils)
2 carrots, diced
2 potatoes, diced
1 small head cauliflower, well pared and cut in attractive florets
1 tablespoon salt to start. Will need more.
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
Heat the oil in a soup pot. Throw in the cardamom, cinnamon and dried pepper. A few seconds later, add the onion, garlic and ginger. Cook on a medium-high flame until the edges start browning.
Add the tomatoes, the yogurt and the powdered spices.
Keep frying while stirring very often, until you almost start sticking. This is the "bhuna" stage, when you roast the spices, and at the end of which you should see the oil again.
Add the broth, plus 3 cans water (total 8 cups liquid, approximately).
Drizzle in the lentils (they tend to clump together).
Add the carrots and potatoes.
Bring to a boil and reduce to a gentle simmer.
Stir regularly. After half-an-hour, add the cauliflower florets.
Ten minutes later, add the salt, adjust, and start tasting for doneness. You want the lentils and the carrots to be free of crunch, but not overcooked.
Just before serving, add the cilantro.
LES LENTILLES AU JUS
These are an accompaniment for a roasted meat, turkey or chicken.
You will need some drippings from your meat.
1 cup lentils (green or black will look better)
4 slices raw bacon, chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 teaspoon thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon tomato paste
Chopped parsley
Meat drippings
Cook the lentils in a saucepan, with two inches extra water, until tender.
In another saucepan, cook the bacon slowly.
Get rid of half the bacon fat.
Add the onion and garlic to the bacon and cook until blond, on a medium fire.
Add the cooked lentils to the pan, with a bit of their cooking water , but not too much.
Stir in the thyme, pepper, salt and tomato paste.
Cook on a slow fire for a while, to blend flavors.
Add meat drippings and parsley before serving.
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