I’ve always loved this south Indian breakfast snack, Medu Vada. The earthy lentil donuts swim in a yoghurt sauce that’s somewhere between savoury and sweet. Usually deep-fried, they are sometimes baked which led me to try cooking them in an electric donut maker. It worked! For the batter soak 1 cup of split urad dhal…… Continue reading lentil donuts in yoghurt
Category: legumes
red lentil and cauliflower gratin
Comfort food. A cheesy bake of red lentils and cauliflower. Preheat your oven to 180ºC (350ºF). Heat some olive oil in a pan and gently fry a chopped onion, a chopped carrot and the same amount of chopped celery until softened. Add 1-2 cloves of minced garlic and cook briefly before adding 1 cup of…… Continue reading red lentil and cauliflower gratin
beet greens, sweet potato, lentils and coconut
Here’s a fabulous way to eat those beet greens and stems that often go to waste. Truly delicious! In a large, heavy pot heat 1 tablespoon of coconut oil over medium heat. Add 1 finely diced brown onion and sauté until translucent and soft. Add 1 teaspoon of chilli flakes and ¾ of a teaspoon…… Continue reading beet greens, sweet potato, lentils and coconut
egg curry + moong and red lentil dhal
Here’s a quick recipe for hard-boiled eggs from Madhur Jaffrey’s ILLUSTRATED INDIAN COOKERY. Perfect with rice or paratha or as an addition to a larger Indian meal. First hard-boil 6-8 eggs. Peel and halve them and set aside. To make the sauce, heat some oil over medium heat in a frypan and add 1 finely…… Continue reading egg curry + moong and red lentil dhal
sweet potato and red lentil patties
Ugly delicious! Eat these patties as they are or enjoy them on a burger bun with all the trimmings. Tomato sauce (ketchup) is a must and (for those who like it spicy) Sriracha sauce as well. Peel 1 large or 2-3 small sweet potatoes, chop them into large pieces and steam them until soft. Take…… Continue reading sweet potato and red lentil patties
black beans with pork and chorizo
Here’s a hearty and flavoursome stew with Spanish roots. Serve it with crusty bread and a fresh green salad. You can soak the black beans overnight or use the following quick-soak method. Add 1½ cups of black beans and 6 cups of water to a pot or pressure cooker and bring to a boil. Simmer…… Continue reading black beans with pork and chorizo
roasted stuffed butternut
This stuffed and roasted butternut pumpkin (squash) is a beautiful thing to behold and delicious too! An excellent centrepiece for a vegetarian/vegan feast or as part of a celebration. Cindy cooked this one for just such an occasion. A winning recipe from the book RECIPETIN EATS: DINNER by Nagi Maehashi. Preheat your oven to 200°C…… Continue reading roasted stuffed butternut
butter paneer + cauliflower dhal
Instead of the ubiquitous butter chicken, this recipe by Swasthi uses paneer cheese. Delicious! To make the sauce heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a saucepan and add 2 whole cardamom pods. Next add 1 large chopped onion and cook until it becomes translucent. Add an equal amount of chopped tomatoes and ¾ of a…… Continue reading butter paneer + cauliflower dhal
duck with lentils
Adapted from this New York Times Mark Bittman video, here’s a simple way to cook a delicious French style meal in the oven. Braised in a mix of vegetables and stock, the duck is tender and still crisp-skinned and the puy lentils add a wonderful earthy flavour. Trim 2 duck legs of excess fat, score…… Continue reading duck with lentils
baked lima beans
Who doesn’t like baked beans? Here’s a Greek version with lima beans. Place 450g (1 lb) of dry lima beans in a large saucepan with 4 times as much water and bring to boil. Simmer for 4 minutes then switch off the heat and allow the beans to soak for 1 hour. After 1 hour,…… Continue reading baked lima beans
michelle picker cooks 