For the budget-minded and health conscious… I’m posting this recipe. Plus I feel guilty for dropping the butter mochi bomb. If you don’t dig cumin you could leave it out. Jona, if you need brown mustard seeds. I have plenty. I buy in bulk from the Indian grocery.
- 3 c. brown or black lentils (soaked for several hours or overnight, then rinsed thoroughly)
- 3 tbsp. ghee or clarified butter
- 1 large onion chopped fine
- 2 tsp. brown mustard seeds
- 1/2 tsp. coriander seeds
- 3 tsp cumin seeds
- 3 cinnamon sticks
- 1 tsp sea salt (more to taste if needed)
- 1 lemon
- ground pepper
- 1/2 c. chopped Italian parsley
I like to grind my spices in a coffee grinder we have reserved for spice grinding. In a large sauce pan heat the ghee on high heat add the ground spices and the cinnamon sticks and lower the heat to medium. Saute the spices for a few minutes or until you can enjoy the full aroma of the spice cooking in the ghee. Add the onions and cook until tender. Add the lentils and cook over the heat for 5-7 minutes. Make sure you stir them constantly to avoid burning. Add the salt and stir. Squeeze the lemon juice from the lemon, taking care to remove the seeds. Add the lemon juice and the whole lemon halves to the lentils and stir. Cover the lentils with water and return the heat to high allow the lentils to boil for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium low cover and allow to cook until the lentils are tender. Add more water as necessary season with freshly ground pepper and serve with brown rice and chopped Italian parsley.
Random thought:
Every time I cook Lentils… I think of that story Lentil by Robert McCloskey (of Make Way for Ducklings Fame).
