Go Back

Easy Lentil Dish

Delicious, nutritious and budget-friendly, this easy lentil dish with carrots is inspired by Mauritian style lentil soup.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Course Main Course, Side Dish
Servings 4 people

Ingredients
  

For the lentils

  • 200 g (about 1 cup) dried lentils
  • 350 mls water
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 2 small carrots, diced

For the tempered oil

  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 2 small cloves garlic
  • 10-12 curry leaves
  • 2 sprigs thyme
  • pinch asafoetida (optional)
  • ¼ tsp chilli oil (optional)

For the fried onions

  • 2 tbsp olive/ vegetable oil
  • ½ onion, sliced

Instructions
 

For the fried onions

  • In a small pan, heat the olive oil on medium heat.
  • Add the thinly sliced onions on medium heat until golden and crispy. This may 8 to 10 minutes depending on the thickness of the sliced onion. Drain on a kitchen paper and reserve.

For the lentils

  • In the meantime, add the lentils, water and salt to a pot. Bring to a boil on medium-high heat.
  • Allow the lentils to simmer on medium heat for 14-18 minutes. Add in the diced carrots a few minutes before turning off the heat so that they cook and soften but still retain some bite.
  • If you prefer a more soupy lentil, or well-cooked lentil, add more water and allow the lentils to cook further.

For the tempered oil

  • To a small pan, heat the vegetable oil on medium heat.
  • Add in the cumin and curry leaves and thyme and allow to sizzle and sputter.
  • Add the garlic, asafoetida and chilli flakes, if using and a pinch of salt. Stir for 30 seconds and turn off the heat.
  • Stir the tempered oil in the lentils.
  • Sprinkle the final dish with the fried onions and enjoy with a bowl of rice.