By Angie Quaale. White lentils aren’t something you’ll find in every neighborhood grocery store! Actually, Ivory lentils are black lentils that have had their dark skin removed. These lentils are very popular in India, they have a mild, flavor and sturdy texture that work well in a ton of different recipes. They are delicious chilled, added to salads, or you can mix cooked lentils with bread crumbs, minced onion and garlic to stuff roasted red peppers or eggplant. Add them to your favorite soups, stews and curries.
White lentils do not require soaking. Simmer 1 cup lentils with 4 cups water for about 12 minutes for salads, 20 to 25 minutes for main dishes. Skim the water while cooking.
1 cup of dry lentils yields 2 ¼ cups cooked
Curried White Lentil Soup (serves 4)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large carrot, peeled & chopped
2 tablespoons madras curry powder
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (more or less to taste)
8 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 large cooking onion, chopped
1 large russet potato, peeled & chopped
1 28-ounce can of diced tomatoes in juice
2 cups Ivory lentils – rinsed, drained
Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, potato and carrot and sauté until vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Mix in curry powder and cayenne and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add broth, tomatoes with juices and lentils and bring to boil. Cover pot, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until lentils are very tender, about 45 minutes. Season soup to taste with salt, pepper and more cayenne for heat. Serve immediately with warm Naan bread for dipping.
