Recipes Details

Lentil bowl with baby marrow & peppers

20/09/2019

Ingredients

• 1 cup (250 ml) uncooked brown lentils
• 1 bay leaf
• ½ tsp (2,5 ml) salt
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) olive or canola oil
• 1 onion, halved and cut into wedges
• 1 clove of garlic, crushed
• 1 tsp (5 ml) ground cumin
• 3 baby marrows, cut into thick diagonal slices
• 1 red or green pepper, seeded, quartered and sliced
• finely grated rind and juice of 1 lemon
• ¼ cup (60 ml) chopped fresh coriander or parsley
• black pepper to taste
• extra lemon rind and herbs
• 1 avocado, sliced (when in season) or dollops of plain low-fat yoghurt

Method

1. Place lentils and bay leaf with 2½ cups (625 ml) water in a pot. Bring to the boil over a medium heat.

2. Reduce heat and simmer with a lid for 25-30 minutes or until cooked, but not too soft. Drain well and season with salt.

3. Meanwhile, heat oil over a medium heat in a large frying pan. Fry onion for a few minutes. Add garlic and cumin and fry until the onion is soft and slightly caramelised. Spoon out.

4. Fry baby marrows for a few minutes in the same pan until lightly browned, but not mushy. Add red or green pepper and fry until cooked, but still crunchy. Stir onion back into the pan.

5. Season veggies with half of the lemon rind, juice and herbs and black pepper.

6. Stir the remaining lemon rind, juice, herbs and black pepper into the lentils.

7. Spoon lentils into bowls and top with veggies. Serve warm or at room temperature with extra lemon rind, herbs and avocado or yoghurt, if preferred.

Notes

Tip

1. Season the oil with the garlic, cumin and some of the lemon rind, juice and herbs. Skewer the veggies and brush with the oil mixture. Braai over medium coals and serve on the lentils, prepared as above.