Inna’s Green Lentils:
Easy Meal Ideas
“This fresh, herbaceous dish is perfect for this verdant time of year. Fragrant spices, crunchy croutons, and tender lentils come together in one dish to please the whole family.”
— Inna Lapidus-Kinbere
JCC Riga Director
Ingredients
- 1 onion
- 3 cups lentils
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 cup olive oil
- 2 slices white bread
- 1 tomato, diced
- ½ tsp. paprika
- 1 bunch parsley
- Salt, to taste
Note: If you use red lentils, the dish will more closely resemble a pureed soup, while green lentils will retain their grainy quality.
Instructions
- Divide half of the onion into two equal pieces and finely chop the other half, reserving for later.
- Put lentils in a pot with bay leaf, the two equal pieces of onion, and one clove of garlic, filling to the top with water. Cover and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and cook for 1 hour until the lentils are soft.
- Heat oil in a pan. Place the bread (cut into crouton-size cubes) into the pan. Cook, flipping croutons over occasionally, until they have become golden and crispy. Dry them off on a paper towel and set aside.
- Drain most of the oil, leaving a little bit at the bottom of the pan. Reheat and add the chopped onion. Cook over low heat, stirring for 8 minutes until the onions begin to brown. Add the tomato and cook, stirring for 10 minutes.
- Remove pan from heat, stir in the paprika, and add the resulting mixture to the lentils.
- Peel a clove of garlic and mash it down with salt, parsley, and croutons using a mortar and pestle. Add 2–3 tablespoons of the liquid you used to cook the lentils and add mixture to lentil pot. Add salt and cook for another 10 minutes.
- Remove bay leaf and garlic clove, and serve immediately in a soup bowl.