Spiced Lentils with Raita
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 3 cups vegetable stock or water
- 1 heaping tsp. ground turmeric
- 1 tsp. brown sugar
- 1 cup red lentils, rinsed
- Coarse salt, to taste
- 2 tbsp. grapeseed oil
- ½ small onion, minced
- 1 garlic clove, chopped
- 1 Thai chile pepper, chopped, or to taste
- 5 green cardamom pods
- 1 tsp. cumin seeds
- 1 tsp. mustard seeds
- 2 bay leaves
- juice of ½ lime, to finish
- Chopped fresh coriander, to taste
- Basmati rice, for serving
- Raita
- 3/4 cup full fat yogurt
- ¼ cup finely diced English cucumber, skin on
- 1 tsp. toasted cumin seeds, ground
- 2 tbsp. freshly chopped mint
- Coarse salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
Method
- Bring 3 cups of vegetable stock to a boil over high heat. Add 1 tsp. brown sugar, ground turmeric and rinsed lentils. Season with salt. Reduce heat to simmer. Let lentils simmer until soft, about 15 to 20 minutes.
- In another pan, heat the oil over medium high heat. Add onions, garlic and hot pepper. Let cook until onions are soft, about 3 minutes. Add cardamom pods, cumin seeds, mustard seeds and bay leaves. When mixture is fragrant and the seeds begin to crackle pour the mixture over the cooked lentils and stir well.
- Stir in the lime juice and sprinkle with chopped fresh coriander to garnish. Serve with rice.
- For the Riata
- Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.