Turkish Carrots and Lentils

Cheap, nutritious, spicy, and good! That's it in a nutshell! Excellent with grilled meats and a plain green vegetable or salad to cool the palate ... make these! Really! I found the recipe in a Diana Henry cookbook called Plenty.

Turkish Carrots and Lentils with Herbs for Two

Ingredients:

2 tbsp. olive oil

1 medium onion, sliced into half moon crescents

2 garlic cloves, minced

¾ tsp. coriander seeds, crushed

½ tsp. red pepper flakes (less if you’re sensitive to spicy heat)

a generous ¼ c. green lentils

3 large carrots, peeled and sliced into coins

1 rounded tbsp. tomato paste

1 tsp. sugar

1 c. vegetable stock (or chicken stock, if you prefer) - plus more as the lentils soak up the stock

salt and black pepper, to taste

1 tbsp. chopped fresh mint, flat-leaf parsley, or dill – your choice

lemon juice, a good squeeze

good olive oil, for drizzling

Making the Dish:

1. Heat the olive oil in a frypan that has a close fitting cover.

2. Add the onions and sauté until wilted. and pale golden.

3. Add the garlic and the coriander and red pepper flakes and stir in, cooking for 2 minutes.

4. Stir in the lentils and carrots and stir to coat everything and toast the lentils just a bit.

5. Add the vegetable or chicken stock, tomato paste, and sugar. Stir everything in well.

6. Bring the mixture to a boil, lower the heat and cover the pan closely. Simmer until the lentils are soft and have just a bit of 'bite'.

7. Just before serving, correct the seasonings by adding salt and black pepper to taste and a good squeeze of lemon juice.

8. Turn the lentils and carrots into a pretty serving dish and sprinkle on your chosen herbs, drizzle with good olive oil, and serve with a couple slices of lemon on the side.

Note: This dish can be served at any temperature ... we like ours hot. Make this dish and enjoy!

Next time I make them, I'm going to make flatbreads to slather the sauce up and have a cold salad platter for picking ... a great Meatless Monday offering!