in learning how to photograph food, there is one lesson you learn early: greenish brown food just doesn’t look that appetizing on camera.
but guess what. lentils are my favorite. so i don’t care.
what this meal lacks in attractiveness on camera it makes up for in deliciousness in your mouth. so please, make this and eat it, and you’ll see what i mean.
i know i tend to gravitate towards the multi-step, use-every-appliance-in-your-kitchen dinners. so yes, you will have lots of dirty dishes after this one. but come on…isn’t making something that’s truly unique and intricate tasting a triumph in and of itself? i think so.
i’m probably over stating the complexity of making this dish. this isn’t the rutabaga roulade, which, after careful reflection i am thoroughly convinced was not anywhere close to worth the effort. these are lentil cakes and a to-die for sauce. the sauce, by the way, comes together in less than 5 minutes. so just bare with me.
- 1 cup dry green lentils
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 cup dry rice
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 1 tablespoon ginger, grated
- 2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped plus more for garnish
- 2 teaspoons garam masala
- ¼ - ⅓ cup all purpose flour
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3-5 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- ¼ cup cream
- ½ cup greek yogurt
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric
- Pour lentils into medium pot and cover with 2½ cups water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and cover. Cook for 15-20 minutes, until lentils are soft.
- In a separate pot, melt 1 tablespoon butter. Add rice and stir until coated. Add 2 cups water, bring to a boil, reduce heat and cover. Cook until rice is tender. Add salt to taste.
- Once lentils are cooked, drain any excess liquid. Transfer lentils to food processor and pulse until they are mostly pureed. Add in half of the chopped onion, ginger, cilantro, garam masala, egg, and salt and pulse until well integrated. Use the back of a spoon to scrape down sides, then add ¼ cup of flour. Pulse again until flour is blended with lentil mixture. Let sit for a 10 minutes to allow the flour to absorb some of the moisture. If the mixture still feels too wet, add additional flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it holds together.
- Preheat oven to 200.
- Scoop 2 tablespoons of lentil mixture at a time and form into small circle cakes. Roll in additional flour if needed.
- Heat vegetable oil, 1-2 tablespoons at a time, in cast iron pan. Once oil is hot, drop lentil cakes in and cook for 3-5 minutes per side. Transfer cakes to a baking sheet.
- Once all of them are done, place baking sheet in the oven to keep warm while you make the sauce.
- Add a little oil to existing pan, if necessary. Turn down heat, and add remaining onions and saute for 2-3 minutes, until they start to brown.
- Add tomato sauce and mix well. Add yogurt, cream, and spices and stir. Let the sauce cook down for 2-3 additional minutes.
- Serve lentil cakes over rice with some sauce and cilantro on top.
recipe adapted from food52.
*recipe rephotographed March 2014.
[…] lentil cakes tikka masala – on both of our lists again. for good reason. eat […]
writes one year blog anniversary and my top ten - things i made today[…] Hands down, Middle Eastern and Indian foods are my favorite things to cook, as evidenced here, here, here, here, here, and here. […]
writes Indian Spiced Chicken with Tomatoes and Cream | Things I Made Today[…] that’s two lentil recipes two days in a row. and i already mentioned how i know that lentils just don’t look so great in photographs. […]
writes lentils with fried mushrooms and pea shoots | Things I Made Today[…] lessons in color home with me. unlike the brownish greens of my previous two posts (lentils and lentils), try this soup, which just by it’s color makes me want to eat it […]
writes pea mint soup - Things I Made Today1posterior
writes 2spectrum