Classic Spiced Lentils

This is the basic form of this recipe which can be altered to your tastes and whims. Add a little more of this or a little less of that, but do exercise some restraint… Sometimes I add greens for the last ten minutes of cooking or maybe some small potatoes and carrots. The possibilities are truly endless, so don’t be afraid to improvise within reason.

It’s actually a lovely way to clear out some vegetables from the bottom of your fridge that are on the cusp of compost, and perhaps finally use up those attractively branded Trader Joes red lentils that have been sitting in the back of your cupboard since your last attempt at “healthy” meal prepping.

Mix spices ahead of time:

 (one bay leaf, half tsp cumin, 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper, 1.5 tbs of garam masala.)

Using a medium to large heavy pot, coat the bottom with olive oil and melt in one large onion chopped roughly and two small ribs of celery cut into large pieces. When almost clear add all spices, toast for a minute, then add four cloves of garlic minced and cook stirring rapidly one minute more- add more olive oil if necessary to prevent burning.

Then add 1.5 cups of split red lentils, let them get thoroughly impregnated with oil and spices. Then, add three cups of water or stock to start, and a small 8 oz can of tomato puree. Bring to a simmer cover for 20-25 min stirring frequently to prevent sticking. When the lentils are quite soft and starting to dissolve add more stock to achieve your desired consistency. Finally, add one tsp of salt then taste for further seasoning. Once it has had a chance to cool off a bit add the juice of 1.5 lemons and a fistful of chopped parsley and  lots of black pepper.


This goes best with basmati rice cooked with a bay leaf and a clove of garlic. Be sure to reduce extra starch from the rice by either soaking the rice in cold water for one hour or rinsing it until the water becomes translucent.

Use the ratio of one cup rice to two cups of liquid. Bring water to a boil, add rice and let it cook steadily, uncovered, over medium heat until nearly all the water is absorbed and holes begin to appear in the mass. Takes about 10 minutes.