Ingredients
- 8 oz Red Lentils
- 6 oz Onion ( finely chopped )
- 3 oz Carrot ( finely chopped )
- 6 cloves Garlic ( finely chopped )
- 1 inch Fresh Root ginger ( finely chopped )
- 8 Chillies, dried or fresh
- ½ teaspoon Chilli powder
- 1 teaspoon Powdered Cumin Seed
- 2 pints water
- Juice of 1 lemon
- Tablespoon vegetable oil
- Black pepper to taste
Directions
Bring water to the boil in a large saucepan.
Put 4 dried chillies, half of the 1 inch piece Ginger, pepper
and previously washed Lentils into it.
Bring back to the boil and simmer for 1 hour.
In a pan, fry the onion, garlic, carrot, and the remaining ginger
until golden. Add the cumin, chilli powder and remaining dried
chillies and fry for 2 to 3 minutes.
After the Lentils have cooked, add the contents of the frying pan
to the pot and cook for 15 minutes. Add the Lemon Juice.
Serve with croutons or toast and a mixed side salad.
My father who gave me this recipe some years ago claimed that it was
prepared originally by Rebekah, the mother of Esau, who sold his
birthright for a mess of potage. I'm not convinced. I don't think chillies
reached the Middle East that early. Nice idea though..
Serves: 4.
Preparation time: 90 mins.