Some time back, we shared a recipe that started as an off-the-cuff side dish thrown together at the last minute that ended up outshining our main course. Seems we’ve managed to do it again, and somehow I doubt it will be the last time. This simple, lightly spiced lentil dish has inadvertently become one of Chele’s favorite things of late.
To be honest, I can not for the life of me recall what this was originally made to go alongside. We weren’t cooking anything meant for this blog, it was just a quick, random lunch we threw together. All I remember was that Chele asked me to cook up some red lentils for her, and she left the seasoning up to me. After a brief time rummaging through here spice racks, I settled on dried minced garlic, galangal powder, and some Penzeys rogan josh seasoning.
The end result impressed us, and Chele insisted I jot down what I did so that she could make them again. She’s found them to be remarkably versatile. Aside from serving them as an easy side, she’s been eating them in tortillas topped with shredded cheese (non-dairy, since lactose is not her friend), and simply eating them as dip with chips.
As a side dish, these go great with roast chicken or pheasant. The seasoning would also put them at home alongside Indian food, as they are reminiscent of a stripped-down lentil dal. They could even be used as an alternative to refried beans if you wanted to change things up and try some Mexican fusion cooking. Try them out for yourself, and maybe you’ll find them to be the perfect building block for your own ideas.
Simple Spiced Red Lentils
Ingredients
- 1 cup split red lentils
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 1 tsp dried minced garlic
- 2 tsp rogan josh seasoning (we use Penzeys)
- 1/2 tsp galangal powder
Instructions
- Rinse lentils and check for any foreign matter.
- Add all ingredients to a medium pot. Bring to a boil over medium heat.
- Reduce heat to a simmer. Cover, and cook until lentils are soft and beginning to break down (about 20 minutes).
Notes
- Rogan josh seasoning is a spice blend traditionally used in a popular Indian lamb dish by the same name. Seasoning blends are readily available from spice dealers such as Penzeys, or there are numerous recipes available online if you would prefer to make your own.
- Galangal is a close relative of ginger, slightly milder with a bit of a floral quality to it. It is very heavily associated with southeast Asian cuisine, especially Thai. Look for powdered dry galangal at specialty spice dealers (again, we get ours from Penzeys), or at Asian markets.
