Lime Leaf and Chili Lentils

Considering how much I like Donna Hay's recipes, you'd think that I'd have more then just one of her cookbooks. But I don't. The book New Food Fast was the first cookbook I ever bought and has been my go-to resource ever since. With this year marking our 10 year anniversary - since I took the leap and decided I wanted to (one day) be a great cook and since the book's publication - this just might be the occasion to give another one of her books a try.



One of the reasons I like this recipe so much is the bed of green beans (or string beans) that the kaffir leaf and chili lentils rest on. I just love eating green beans and when I've had too much of them I switch to asparagus. Not a bad alternative at all.

Amount to Buy
One pound of green beans will generally serve two or three people. When buying beans, look for beans that are clean, fresh-looking and firm.

Cooking Preparation
In the Fall 2009 issue of Taste magazine, there's an interview with Vancouver Chef Rob Feenie, where he offers up his top five tips for serious home chefs. I'm sure it's no coincidence that his first tip is about the importance of blanching:

It's important to blanch vegetables. The vegetables will turn a brilliant colour
and keep their crunch. Blanching is simply parboiling vegetables (or herbs),
then cooling them as quickly as possible in an ice bath.

So exactly how do you blanch green beans? In a large pot of rapidly boiling salted water, toss in the beans and quickly boil them either until tender or until almost tender, still with a slight crunchiness, about two to five minutes. Drain immediately and place in a bowl (or the sink) of cold water and ice cubes. This essential step stops the beans from cooking and locks in the colour, produces a fresh tasting and beautiful looking bean.




Lime Leaf and Chili Lentils (serves 4)
recipe from Donna Hay's New Fast Food

Ingredients
1 tablespoon oil
4 medium red chillies, diced
2 tablespoons grated ginger
5 kaffir leaves, shredded
1 1/2 cups red lentils
3 cups vegetable or chicken stock (my favorite store bought stock is Pacific Organics)
1 cup basil leaves
1/2 cup cilantro leaves
steamed green beans

Directions
Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the chillies, ginger and kaffir lime leaves and cook for one minute. Add the lentils and stock to the pan, cook for about 15 minutes or until the lentils are cooked.

Place the steamed green beans on a plate or serving bowl. Top with basil and cilantro and then the lentils. Enjoy.

How to make lentil soup

Sometimes I really do amaze myself. I originally started this blog as a way to remember all the good recipes I've come across, as well as my own creations. A modern (and tidy) electronic recipe binder, without the spattered pages and faded side notes. And in spite of all my note taking, bookmarking and documenting, I still forget where that favorite soup or pasta recipe is. All I can say is that it's a work in progress.




I recently tried Dinner With Julie's Curried Sweet Potato, Carrot & Red Lentil Soup and it's definitely one for the recipe binder. It's a nice change to a curried squash soup, plus it has more depth, character and protein with the addition of red lentils. And this soup has a nice colour since red lentils turn a rich golden tone when cooked.

Another favorite lentil soup recipe is Epicurious' Lentil Soup with Minted Yogurt.

Tip! cooking with lentils

• Lentils are a great addition to soups and stews.

• Contrary to popular belief, lentils do not need to soak before using.

• To prepare lentils for cooking, rinse, drain and remove any debris or shriveled lentils you may find. Cover with water or broth and boil for 2 to 3 minutes (to aid in digestion). Reduce heat and simmer until tender. Depending on the variety and age, cooking time may take anywhere from 10 minutes to 1 hour.

• I have heard conflicting instructions with regards to adding salt. What do I do? I add salt to the lentils once they are completely cooked.

• Acidic ingredients such as wine or canned tomatoes can lengthen the cooking time. You may wish to add these ingredients after the lentils have become tender.

• Lentils are high in protein and are a must in any vegetarian diet.


Curried Carrot, Red Lentil and Sweet Potato Soup (Serves 4-6)

Ingredients
1-2 tablespoons grape seed or sunflower oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
2 handfuls of dried red lentils
1 medium sweet potato or yam, peeled and cubed
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
1 small spoonful of curry paste - powder would work too
4 cups vegetable stock
salt and pepper
1/4 to 1/2 cup light cream

Instructions
In a medium pot, saute onion in cooking oil for about 15 minutes or until it starts to caramelize. Then add garlic and ginger for just 30 seconds to one minute, being careful not to burn the garlic.

Add the lentils, sweet potato or yam, carrot, curry paste, salt and pepper to taste. Stir for a minute and then add the vegetable stock. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat down, cover and simmer for half an hour or so, until the vegetables are very tender.

When the soup is nearly done, stir in the light cream. Taste and adjust the seasonings. Turn off heat and let the soup to cool for a few minutes. Puree until smooth. Serve immediately or cool and divide into single serving containers, freezing for later.


MORE SOUP RECIPES-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ginger Peanut Soup
A delicious, vegetarian soup that combines broccoli, cauliflower and tomatoes with the flavours with a little heat from ginger and cayenne.

Hungarian Mushroom Soup
A woodsy, mushroom soup with exceptional flavour because of the generous additions of paprika, dill and sour cream.

Lentil Minestrone
There's nothing quite as comforting as a big pot of fragrant soup simmering on the stove top. This recipe is a hearty soup with pasta, lentils, carrots and greens such as kale, broccoli rabe, chard, or spinach.

Southern Corn Chowder
I have always loved corn chowder. Warm, creamy and hearty and homey. This version is a flavourful, southern-style corn chowder with a touch of southern spice.

Lentil Minestrone

Another lazy Sunday, another big batch of soup. This time I've made a hearty Lentil Minestrone out of Deborah Madison's Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone. This one is great to make on a day when you have a little extra time because - turns out - it tastes better a few hours after making. Also, it freezes well for future meals or lunches.

Now there's two things about this soup that caught my eye- and that's the addition of soy sauce and Parmesan cheese. Both of these ingredients are terrific flavour enhancers, especially for soup, because they are a source of natural MSG or simply glutamate.

Glutamate is an amino acid found in all foods containing protein such as cheese, milk, mushrooms, meat, fish, and many vegetables. Glutamate is also produced by the human body and is vital for metabolism and brain function.

Glutamate's unpopular cousin, monosodium glutamate is also known as MSG. This is the sodium salt of glutamate. When MSG is added to foods, it provides a similar flavoring as the glutamate that occurs naturally in food. MSG is comprised of nothing more than water, sodium and glutamate.

Lentil Minestrone (Serves 6)
from Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone, Deborah Madison

Add the cooked pasta and greens just before serving so that they retain their color and texture. And, don't forget the Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra virgin to finish
2 cups onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/4 cup chopped parsley
4 garlic cloves, chopped
3 carrots, diced
1 cup diced celery or celery root
1 cup French green lentils, rinsed
Aromatics: 2 bay leaves, 8 parsley branches, 6 thyme sprigs
9 cups water or vegetable stock (I prefer Pacific Organic brand)
Mushroom soy sauce to taste (or regular soy sauce if that's what you have on hand)
Salt and pepper to taste
1 bunch greens—mustard, broccoli rabe, chard, or spinach
2 cups cooked small pasta—shells, orecchiette, or other favorite shape
Thin shavings of Parmesan

Instructions
Heat the oil in a wide soup pot with the onion. Saute over high heat, stirring frequently, until lightly browned, about 10 minutes.

Add the tomato paste, parsley, celery, garlic, vegetables, and 2 teaspoons salt and cook 3 minutes more.

Add the lentils, aromatics, and water and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer, partially covered, for 30 minutes. Taste for salt and season with pepper. If it needs more depth, add mushroom soy sauce to taste, starting with 1 tablespoon. (The soup may seem bland at this point, but the flavors will come together when the soup is finished.) Remove the aromatics.

Boil the greens in salted water until they're tender and bright green, then chop them coarsely.

Just before serving, add the greens and the pasta to the soup and heat through. Serve with extra virgin olive oil drizzled into each bowl, a generous grind of pepper, and the Parmesan.

MORE SOUP RECIPES-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Curried Carrot, Red Lentil and Sweet Potato Soup
This is a smooth, pureed soup with a depth of flavours and a rich golden colour.

Ginger Peanut Soup
A delicious, vegetarian soup that combines broccoli, cauliflower and tomatoes with the flavours with a little heat of ginger and cayenne.

Hungarian Mushroom Soup
A woodsy, mushroom soup with exceptional flavour because of the generous additions of paprika, dill and sour cream.

Southern Corn Chowder
I have always loved corn chowder. Warm, creamy and hearty and homey. This version is a flavourful, southern-style corn chowder with a touch of southern spice.

Sweet Potato Lentil Chili

I don't know about you, but I've been making a lot of chili lately. It's the perfect answer to these colder months. And we still have a ways to go. We have another five weeks before the first day of spring and the budding of warmer weather.

If you're like me and looking for a new way to make a nutritious stew, this is the recipe for you. It's delicious, warm and healthy- with a flavourful combination of chili and lime. With the addition of lentils, this is a good source of fibre, iron and protein.


Sweet Potato Lentil Chili (Serves 6)
Published in the January 2009 issue of Alive magazine, this recipe is from Eat, Drink and Be Vegan.

Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, diced
1 cup celery, diced
2 to 2 1/2 cups yams, sweet potatoes or a combo, peeled and cut into bite sizes
3 garlic cloves, minced
salt, pepper to taste
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 1/4 cups dry red lentils
2 1/2 cups water
28 oz (796 ml) can tomatoes (puree before adding)
14 oz (398 ml) can black beans
1 bay leaf
3 tablespoons lime juice

Directions
In a large pot over medium heat, add oil, onions, celery, sweet potatoes, garlic, salt, pepper and spices, and stir thoroughly. Cover and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Rinse lentils. Add to pot with water, pureed tomatoes, beans and bay leaf, and stir to combine. Increase the heat to low, cover and simmer for 25-30 minutes until the potatoes are tender and lentils are softened, stirring occasionally. Stir in lime juice, serve and enjoy.

One year ago today, Warm Butternut and Chickpea Salad with Tahini.

Curried Lentils and Sweet Potatoes

One of the reasons I like this recipe from Smitten Kitchen is because of the interesting combination of flavours. It a has a little bit of heat from the curry powder, ginger and jalapeno that is nicely balanced out with warm sweet potatoes and lentils. While a little curious about the addition of almonds, they're an excellent addition- adding texture with a bit of crunch and bite.

This is also a no-fuss, one pot meal, and who doesn't like the sound of that? Healthy, hardy and delicious, this is the perfect dinner on a cool evening.



Curried Lentils With Sweet Potatoes and Swiss Chard (serves 4)

(Source: New York Times 11/14/07)

Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon grated ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
1/2 jalapeño pepper, seeded if desired, then minced
3 cups vegetable broth or water as needed
1 pound yams, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3/4 cup dried lentils
1 bay leaf
1 bunch Swiss chard, center ribs removed, leaves thinly sliced
salt, pepper
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lime
1/3 cup finely chopped tamari almonds
1/4 cup chopped scallions, for garnish.

Directions
In large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, garam masala, curry powder and jalapeño. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute.

Stir in 3 cups broth, sweet potatoes, lentils and bay leaf. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium, partially cover, and simmer for 25 minutes. (If lentils seem dry, add up to 1 cup stock, as needed.) Stir in chard and salt and pepper, and continue cooking until lentils are tender and chard is cooked, about 30 to 45 minutes total.

Just before serving, stir in cilantro, lime zest and juice. Spoon into a large, shallow serving dish. Garnish with almonds if desired and scallions.

RELATED RECIPES--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Curried Carrot, Red Lentil and Sweet Potato Soup
This is a smooth, pureed soup with a depth of flavours and a rich golden colour.

Lime Leaf and Chili Lentils
A colourful bed of green beans topped with red lentil chili and shredded kaffir leaves.

Vegetarian Chili
Who doesn't love a big bowl of delicious chili? It's spicy and flavourful, belly warming and filling.