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Red Lentils with Smoky Eggplant

Servings

2

Serving size

about 2 1/2 cups
COOKING TIME
45 Minutes

This recipe can be multiplied and makes great leftovers.

Red Lentils with Smoky Eggplant

Ingredients

4 tsp. Olive oil (divided)
2 clove Garlic, raw (thinly sliced)
1 eggplant, unpeeled (approx 1-1/4 pounds) Eggplant, raw (cut into 3/4 inch cubes)
1 large White onions (thinly sliced) (divided)
1 5 slices (1 inch dia) Ginger root, raw (peeled and finely minced)
8 ounce Grape or cherry tomatoes
1/4 tsp. Salt (divided)
1 pepper Peppers, serrano, raw (or jalapeno pepper for less heat) (finely minced)
1/4 tsp. Ground turmeric
1 tsp. Smoked paprika
1/2 tsp. Garam masala
1/4 tsp., whole Ground cumin
1/2 cup, dried Red Lentils
3 cup Water (divided)

Instructions

Place a large skillet in the oven and preheat to 350°F.

When the oven is hot, add 1 teaspoons of the olive oil to the pan and then the garlic, eggplant, 1/2 of the sliced onion, ginger, tomatoes, 1/8 teaspoon salt, chili, turmeric, and smoked paprika to the pan.

Toss well and place the pan in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes. Toss the pan about every 7 minutes.

While the eggplant is roasting, place 3 teaspoons of olive oil in a sauce pan over medium high heat.

Add the remaining 1/2 of the sliced onion and toss well for about two minutes.

Add the garam masala, cumin, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and red lentils.

Toss for one minute and add 2 1/4 cups water.

Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 20 minutes while the eggplant is roasting.

Adjust the heat to keep the lentils on a simmer. It should take about 15 to 20 minutes until they are softened and the liquid is mostly evaporated.

Add 3/4 cup water to the eggplant, toss well, and cook for another 5 minutes.

Serve the roasted vegetables on top of the lentils.

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Special Diet Information

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GERD / Acid Reflux

This recipe contains GERD triggers and those with GERD may wish to avoid it.

Lactose

This recipe is safe for those who are lactose intolerant.

Coumadin® (Warfarin)

This recipe is safe for Coumadin (warfarin) users.

Gluten Sensitivity

This recipe is safe for those who are sensitive to gluten.

Sodium

This is a low sodium recipe.

Recipe Notes

This recipe is a bit of a mash-up. At first it seems a bit disjointed and made up and is based on a recipe found in a delivered meal kit. It does, however, have a lot going for it.

The original recipe was actually pretty terrible, but the foundations were good – lentils, eggplant, veggies, Indian spices, and what should have been a smoky, umami flavor like this recipe. Note that you can use a jalapeno pepper instead of a serrano if you want to turn down the heat — or leave out the pepper altogether.

"Lentils are friendly - the Miss Congeniality of the bean world."

Laurie Colwin, Author