Spicy Lemon Lentils
Brooke Bengier
I always save a good recipe. This one from the late film director, Ismail Merchant, appeared in the New York Times in 1979, and I’ve been cooking it ever since. You can use brown lentils or the traditional Indian red lentils for this recipe. The red lentils cook very quickly and they lose their shape and become almost a puree. (French and Italian green lentils work well too; they have a firmer texture and an earthier taste.) The sweet spices echo those in the wine and the lemon matches the acidity. Per serving: 340 calories, 16 g protein, 44 g carbohydrate, 12 g fat (7 g saturated), 31 mg cholesterol, 33 mg sodium, 11 g fiber.
ingredients
- 2 cups red or brown lentils
- About 4 cups cold water
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter or olive oil
- 3 cups diced yellow onions (2 large)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne or to taste
- Grated zest of a large lemon
- 2 teaspoons finely minced garlic
- 2 teaspoons minced fresh jalapeno (or to taste)
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, or to taste
- 1 small bunch cilantro, chopped
- Salt and pepper
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