Lebanese flavored lentils

SERVES 4

Ingredients:

1 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground allspice

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1½ cups dried Puy lentils, picked over and rinsed well

4 cups hot vegetable stock

½ cup pine nuts

½ cup dried apricots, coarsely chopped

Method:

1 Heat the oil in a large deep frying pan over low heat. Add the onion and cook gently for about 5 minutes until soft and translucent. Stir in the cumin seeds, cinnamon, and allspice, and season well with salt and pepper.

2 Stir in the lentils until thoroughly mixed. Pour in the hot stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Simmer gently for 30–40 minutes until the lentils are tender but not mushy. Keep an eye on the pan, and add more hot water if the lentils appear dry.

3 Meanwhile, toast the pine nuts in a small dry frying pan over a low heat for about 5 minutes until they begin to turn golden; watch carefully, as they can burn very quickly. Stir the pine nuts into the lentils along with the apricots. Taste, and season again if needed. Serve hot.

Cook’s Notes:

Always rinse dried lentils thoroughly before using. They can be muddy and gritty.

Lebanese flavored lentils