for green lentils try mujadara which is a traditional middle eastern dish of rice and lentils topped with
burnt caramelized onions and often served with yogurt. here is one recipe - i havent' tried this recipe from her blog yet but it looks like the one i usually make and her recipes are usually perfect. I usually make it with whole grain basmatti rice
http://theshiksa.com/2010/05/26/mujadara/Servings: 8
Kosher Key: Pareve
Prep Time: 2 Hours
Cook Time: 1 Hour
Total Time: 3 Hours
Ingredients
2 cups white basmati rice
1 cup brown lentils
2 tsp cumin
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil, divided
2 bay leaves
2 strips lemon peel, about 2 inches long each
2 large onions
Salt and pepper
Rinse and sort the rice, removing any small stones or impurities, then cover it with cold water and 2 tsp of salt. Let it soak at room temperature for 2 hours.
Rinse and sort the lentils, removing any small stones or impurities.
Bring 4 cups of water to a boil. Add 2 tsp salt to the boiling water, then add the lentils. Reduce heat to medium and simmer the lentils till they are tender, but not soft or mushy (about 15 minutes). Remove from heat and drain, then rinse in a colander with cold water.
Drain and rinse the soaked rice.
Rinse out the saucepan where you cooked the lentils and pour in 3 cups of water. Bring to a boil. While water is heating, in a large pot, heat 1/4 cup olive oil till hot enough for frying. Add the lentils to the pot along with the cumin, 1/2 tsp salt (if you are watching your sodium intake, use 1/4 tsp salt), and 1/4 tsp pepper. Sauté for 2 minutes.
Add the drained rice to the pot and stir.
When the water in the small saucepan boils, pour it over the lentils and rice. Stir. Add bay leaves and lemon peel to the pot and bring water to a boil. Cover the pot. Reduce heat and let the rice steam at a low simmer for 20 minutes, or until all the water is absorbed.
Turn off the rice, uncover the pot, fluff the rice with a fork, cover the pot again and let it sit for another 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat up 1 tbsp olive oil in a skillet. Peel the onion and cut into thin slices. Fry the onion slices over medium heat until they are soft and nicely caramelized. Season with salt and pepper.
Fluff the mujadra with a fork again. Serve topped with the caramelized onions. If you like the flavor of butter, you can substitute melted butter for olive oil. If you do this, please keep in mind that the dish becomes dairy rather than pareve.
On the same blog, i've had my eye on
this recipe for vegetarian shepherd's pie which uses lentils.
Vegetarian Shepherd's Pie
Servings: 9 servings
Kosher Key: Dairy or Pareve
Total Time: 1 Hour
Ingredients
2 lbs. Russet or Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled
1 whole garlic clove
1 cup (1/2 lb.) dry brown lentils
1 bay leaf
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, diced
1 cup diced carrots
1 cup diced celery
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 cup frozen peas
1 cup corn
1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley, divided
2 tsp vegan Worchestershire or tamari sauce
3/4 tsp dried oregano
Pinch of cayenne pepper
1/2 cup milk or milk substitute (soy, almond, or rice milk)
3 tbsp butter or vegan butter substitute (ex. Earth Balance)
Salt and pepper
Nonstick cooking oil spray
Sriracha sauce for topping (optional)
You will also need
2 quart baking dish, potato masher
Note: If making pareve, substitute dairy-free products for dairy (suggestions above).
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Place the peeled potatoes in a pot along with one whole peeled garlic clove. Cover the potatoes with plenty of water.
Bring to a boil on the stovetop, then reduce heat to medium to the potatoes continue to simmer. Let the potatoes cooks for 25-30 minutes till fork tender.
Meanwhile, rinse and sort the lentils. Pour the lentils into a pot along with a bay leaf. Cover with 2 cups of water and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to a simmer and let the lentils cook for 15-20 minutes till just tender-- keep a close watch on them and don't overcook, or they'll become soft/mushy. Remove from heat as soon as they're cooked. If there is any excess water, drain it.
As potatoes and lentils are cooking, heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add diced onion to the skillet and saute for 5-6 minutes till softened.
Add the diced carrots and celery. Continue to saute for 5-6 more minutes till the vegetables are tender-crisp.
Add crushed garlic, peas, corn, 3 tbsp of the chopped parsley, vegan Worchestershire or tamari sauce, oregano, and cayenne pepper to the skillet. Stir and saute for 3-4 minutes more till the vegetables are tender and fragrant.
Stir the skillet vegetable mixture into the cooked, drained lentils. Season the mixture with salt and pepper to taste.
Drain the cooked potatoes; reserve the whole garlic clove that cooked with them. Mash the potatoes and softened garlic clove with milk and butter (or vegan milk and butter substitutes) till smooth and creamy. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Lightly grease a 2 quart baking dish with cooking spray. Spread the lentil and vegetable mixture in an even layer across the bottom of the dish.
Spread the mashed potatoes on top of the vegetable mixture, using a spoon or fork to add texture to the top of the potatoes for browning. Top with cheddar cheese (or vegan cheddar shreds), if desired.
Place the dish in the oven and let it bake for about 30 minutes till the tips of the potatoes turn golden brown. Increase heat at the end of cooking for more browning, if desired. Sprinkle the remaining 1 tbsp of chopped parsley on top of the pie to garnish. Serve hot.
I like to top each serving with a squirt of sriracha-- it's very spicy, but oh so delicious!
