Brown Lentils Trinidad Style Recipes

BROWN LENTILS

Steps:

• Rinse lentils and then par-boil them with water to cover and a good sprinklng of salt (simmer hard about 25 minutes). Drain.
• Meanwhile, in a braising pan, saute vegetables and garlic in the olive oil (cooking bacon first if using it) for 5 minutes.
• Stir in dried herbs and spices and 1 cup of stock. Bring to a simmer.
• Add the lentils to the vegetables and stock, and simmer, stirring occasionally until the lentils are cooked, (10-20 minutes more) adding more stock as needed.
• Check seasoning, adding salt and pepper, to taste. Garnish with fresh squeezed lemon juice and parsley (I chose these because I serve the lentils with fish most often).

BROWN LENTILS - TRINIDAD STYLE

Steps:

• Put lentils in bowl & cover with water.
• Leave to soak overnight.
• Rinse & drain lentils.
• Put all ingredients into a large saucepan.
• Put on high heat & bring to the boil.
• Reduce heat to low and simmer until lentils are cooked and pumpkin is soft & broken down.
• Add water if needed--mixture should not dry out.
• Serve as a side dish or eat just as they are.

BROWN LENTIL AND VEGETABLE SOUP

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat.
• Add carrots, celery and onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until vegetables begin to soften.
• Add tomatoes, zucchini and stock to pan. Cover and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium-low.
• Simmer, partially covered, for 15 minutes or until vegetables are soft.
• Add lentils to soup. Cook for 5 minutes or until heated through.
• Sprinkle with parsley and squeeze lemon juice.
• Season with freshly ground black pepper.

QUICK & EASY COCONUT BROWN LENTILS (VEGAN)

Steps:

• Wash and sort through the lentils to remove pebbles, bad ones, etc. (If using a can, just rinse and drain.) Bring the coconut milk to a low boil and add the lentils and spices but NOT the shredded coconut.
• Loosely cover and let simmer for 20-25 minutes or until the lentils have softened. (If using canned-- this only needs 5-10 minutes for the flavors to impart.).
• Fluff up the lentils and mix in the coconut so it adds a nice crunch. Serve with veggies and rice and enjoy.

CARIBBEAN STEWED LENTILS

Steps:

• For bagged lentils, follow the preparation listed on the bag, soaking if necessary. If using dried lentils, make sure to sift through them removing any debris and then soak in a bowl with water for a few hours or overnight.
• When the lentils are prepped, add them to a pot with enough water to cover them by about 2 inches.
• Add the garlic cloves (whole), hot pepper (whole), salt, black pepper, thyme and bouillon to the lentils and water, and heat to medium-high heat.
• Bring this to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to a simmer for about 45 minutes or until the lentils are tender.
• In another pot, heat the oil at medium heat and saute the sliced onions until they are golden at the edges.
• Then gently (we're adding liquid to hot oil) add the cooked lentils to the pot (pour in everything).
• With a whisk or cooking spoon, stir to break down some of the lentils to thicken the consistency and create more of a sauce.
• Add the scallions, cilantro and butter and stir.
• Allow this to cook for about 20 more minutes or until the desired consistency is reached. I prefer mine to be like a thick soup.
• Don't forget to fish out the twig from the thyme before serving and enjoy.