Spiced Yellow Lentils With Quinoa Recipes

SPICED YELLOW LENTILS WITH QUINOA

Steps:

• Rinse the quinoa thoroughly and combine with the water and salt in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce the heat to low. Simmer 15 to 20 minutes, until the white quinoa displays a little white spiral. Turn off the heat, remove the lid and place a dish towel over the top of the pot. Return the lid and let sit for 15 minutes. The quinoa will now be fluffy. Keep warm.
• Meanwhile, combine the lentils, ginger, turmeric and onion half (don't chop it) with 1 quart water and salt to taste (about 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons) and bring to a gentle boil. Stir only once to make sure there are no lentils sticking to the bottom of the pot. Reduce the heat to medium - the lentils should simmer briskly - and cook uncovered until the lentils are tender, 30 to 40 minutes. Stir in the lime juice or tamarind concentrate and add another 1/2 cup water. Stir together and simmer for another minute. Turn off the heat and using an immersion blender, an Indian mathani (a wooden tool used for mashing dal) or a wooden Mexican hot chocolate mixer, partially pureé the dal. It should be thick but not like a pureed soup.
• Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a small saucepan or small frying pan (such as an 8-inch omelet pan). Add the cumin seeds and allow to sizzle, stirring, for 10 seconds. Add the garlic and cook until lightly colored, about 15 seconds. Add the red pepper and cook until slightly softened, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat and pour over the lentils. Add the cayenne pepper and 1 tablespoon of the cilantro and stir gently. Taste and adjust seasoning.
• Serve the quinoa with the dal spooned on top. Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro.

SPICED LENTILS

Steps:

• Bring 1 cup red or yellow lentils, 4 cups water, a pinch of turmeric and a 1-inch piece chopped ginger to a boil; simmer 15 to 20 minutes. Whisk vigorously; season with salt. Cook 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, 2 sliced garlic cloves and 2 to 3 dried red chiles in a skillet with 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat, 2 minutes. Add 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes; cook 1 minute. Stir into the lentils with some chopped cilantro.

SPICY LENTIL QUINOA CURRY

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion; cook and stir until translucent, about 3 minutes. Mix in mushrooms, carrots, and garlic; cook until flavors combine, about 2 minutes.
• Stir vegetable broth, water, lentils, quinoa, tomato paste, curry powder, chili powder, cumin, ginger, cayenne pepper, garam masala, turmeric, salt, and pepper into the saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low and cover; let simmer until vegetables are cooked through, about 40 minutes.
• Stir butter and cream into the saucepan. Replace the lid and cook until the lentils are tender, about 5 minutes.

RED LENTILS AND CHILI SAUCE WITH QUINOA

Steps:

• Combine quinoa with 1 1/2 cups water. Bring to boil in uncovered pot.
• Cover lentils with water, then bring to boil and simmer about 10 minutes, partly covered, until lentils are soft but have not lost their shape.
• Chop whole onion; saute in hot oil in nonstick skillet.
• Cover quinoa, reduce heat and simmer about 15 minutes.
• With food processor on, put garlic through feed tube. Add to onion and continue cooking until onion is soft and beginning to brown.
• Chop carrots in food processor.
• Reduce heat under onions; stir in cumin, coriander and chili powder for about 20 seconds.
• Add tomato paste and stock to the onions and stir to blend. Stir in carrots; reduce heat and cook until soft, about 10 minutes.
• Wash, dry and chop cilantro.
• When lentils are cooked, drain well and stir into chili-carrot mixture. Season with salt, if desired.
• Arrange lentil mixture over quinoa; sprinkle with cilantro.