Turkey. Check. Egypt, Ethiopia. Check, check.
India, Iran, Italy, Lebanon, Mexico, Morocco, Nepal, Pakistan -- check, check, check, check, quadruple-check.
This sounds like the stuff of an amazing globe-trotting dream. But this list is a mere sliver of the places where a little edible disc called the lentil is like a diplomat with a stamp-filled passport.
Like a true global citizen, the lentil goes by different names depending on its port of entry (adas, dal, heramame, lentejas, lentilles, lenticchia, mercimek, messer).
The lentil figures prominently in the daily diet of much of the world's population. But not in America. Here, in the land of presto-magic food out of a box, there's a good chance you know someone who has never tried a hearty bowl of lentils.
Even my own mother refuses to sample a spoonful. And so the cycle continues of ignoring one of the world's earliest cultivated crops.
Yes, the lentil is Stone Age food with links to the Mesolithic era (about 10,000 years ago). After the soybean, it's got the second-highest protein content of any plant (about 25 percent). That's more protein than a White Castle double cheeseburger.
Filled with fiber, calcium, potassium, B1 and five minerals, the lentil is a nutritional powerhouse. Plus, lentils have a fairly high quotient of tryptophan, the amino acid that increases serotonin levels, giving you a sense of calm and well-being.
So with all these amazing attributes, why the disrespect? Let's join the rest of the world and show some love for the lentil. Here's one way to get to know her, Syrian style.
Lentils Syrian Style
From Little Foods of the Mediterranean by Clifford A. Wright
2 tablespoons garlic, peeled (about 8 large cloves)
1 1/2 cups dried lentils, ordinary brown or green variety
(I used French green lentils with great success.)
4 tablespoons olive oil
5 Swiss chard leaves, washed, dried, stems removed and sliced into thin strips
3/4 cup finely chopped cilantro leaves
1 cup water (or remaining lentil liquid)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses (available at Middle Eastern groceries)
• Using a mortar and pestle, pound the garlic until pulverized. Don't use minced garlic, which tends to burn.
• Rinse lentils in a sieve. Place lentils in a pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and cook lentils at a simmer until tender, between 30-45 minutes. Check after first 20 minutes, then every 10 minutes, as cooking time varies according to lentils' age. Drain and set aside; save 1 cup of cooking liquid, if using. Salt lentils to taste.
• Add one tablespoon of olive oil to the rinsed-out pot, over medium heat. Add chard and cook until wilted, about two minutes. Remove chard and set aside.
• Heat remaining 3 tablespoons of oil, and add garlic and cilantro, stirring constantly. Cook about one minute, reduce heat and return chard, plus lentils and cooking liquid or water. Stir and cook over medium heat, about 10 minutes. Add lemon juice, pomegranate molasses and stir again. Makes enough for six as a side dish.
Culinary questions? Contact Kim O'Donnel at kim.odonnel@creativeloafing.com.
COMMENTS
RE: The lentil's no has-been
Posted by David on 09.28.06 @ 04:44 PM
I cook a lot of lentils and would agree that the water DOES need to be changed. Two or three changes of water can help keep the eater less gassy afterwards.
RE: The lentil's no has-been
Posted by Nahla on 09.28.06 @ 03:38 PM
this soup is missing a major component, and that it the thickener, I grew up on this soup. my mother gave it some substance by adding a little flour which she mixed with cold water then added to the soup, my grandmother used small pasta like Orzo or Vermicelli, and my preference has been small cubed potatoes. Also, I dont understand why all the complication, simply put the washed lentil along with the cleaned and chopped chard together in the pot and cook. I also add the potatoes at the same time. If using pasta or flour, that has to wait until later. I dont remove anything at all, I just use a skillet to saute the garlic and the cilantro, add toward the end of the cooking, and add whatever souring agent you are using once the cooking is done, a variety of souring agents can be used, my grandmother used sour grape molasses, or sour plums, my mother simply used lemon juice, I use a combination of lemon juice and sumac (barberry) commonly found at Mideastern groceries. Bon Appetit