"The greatest wealth is to live content with Greek Lentils" - Plato
Food engineer: Christiana Karageorgi
*Feeds two people. Serve up in 45 minutes*
Ingredients:
· 250g of lentils (green or black).
· 1 brown onion.
· 2 carrots.
· 2 cloves of garlic.
· 2 bay leaves.
· 2 tablespoons of olive oil (extra virgin because you deserve it).
· 1 teaspoon of cumin.
· 1 teaspoon of tomato purée.
· 1/2 of a vegetable stock cube.
· Pinch of dried oregano, mint, paprika, salt and pepper.
· Bunch of parsley (optional garnish)
· 1 teaspoon of allspice (heavenly optional gift).
Method:
1) Rinse and drain lentils.
2) Sauté finely diced garlic and onions in a pot over high heat with olive oil. Add bay leaves for aromas to release.
3) When onions browned (and before bay leaves start to burn) add lentils and cover with water.
4) Reduce to medium heat just before water boils.
4) Add finely chopped carrots and 1/2 of a vegetable stock cube.
5) Simmer for approximately 20 minutes, add and stir in spices, simmer for another 20 minutes.
6) Blast music.
7) When water has been absorbed, add tomato purée, salt and pepper.
8) Chop and sprinkle parsley gracefully.
9) Do not serve immediately, let them flavours do their thing.
Top-tip: Lentils should be beautiful beads, not mushy like dhal. Monitor heat of pan accordingly.
Level-it up with a dollop of smoked hummus for that KICK. Add cold beetroot for that spiritual completeness.