Straight to lentil recipes:
Recipe: Ginger Lentil Soup with Coconut Milk
Recipe: Lentil salad on arugula
Recipe: Hazelnut and Lentil Pie
Lots of lentils, lots of coins
In my parents’ house, there was always lentil soup on New Year’s Eve. “So that we don’t run out of money in the New Year,” my mother explained succinctly. What’s left of this tradition is a bit of a worry as the end of the year approaches. Their message is: I have to cook another lentil dish. I usually do.
If you are invited to a New Year’s Eve party, I bring a lentil pie, and if you invite loved ones, there is a lentil salad as an appetizer. Otherwise, I cook lentil soup, which is similar to mother’s soup – with vegetable soup, vinegar, bacon and sausage. This is also great as a midnight soup. At least delicious and a party is the Indian variant with red lentils and coconut milk. However, the question arises whether this type is reliable when it comes to money, because red lentils disintegrate quickly and almost make a creamy soup – without mashing. But lentils are about mental association with coins: lots of lentils, lots of coins.
Lentils are a lucky charm on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Eve
At least that is the case in Italy, which is why they traditionally eat pork and lentil sausage (Cotechino con lenticchie) on New Year’s Eve. Italians aren’t exactly considered bean counters, but peas, beans, and lentils symbolize the money there. The amount consumed is viewed on the basis of windfall profits which should arrive in the following year.
Found on the Internet: “In various ancient cultures, there are a number of lentils or peas that symbolize prosperity.” Perhaps my Franconian mother had something in her genes, because this custom only occurs sporadically in this country.
With or without lentils and coins – I wish you
healthy and happy new year 2020
Lentil recipes
Recipe: Ginger Lentil Soup with Coconut Milk
Ingredients for 4 servings:
1-2 handfuls of chickpeas, 1 onion, 11 hot peppers, depending on how much spice you want, 2 teaspoons coriander seeds (or ground coriander),
2 teaspoons cumin seeds (or ground cumin), 2 tablespoons olive oil,
1 can of coconut milk (about 400ml), 200g red lentils, 1 piece (2cm) fresh ginger, 2 cloves garlic, 1 teaspoon turmeric, crushed, half a lemon, fresh coriander or mint leaves if needed
• Soak chickpeas in water overnight, cook the next day, covered with water.
• Cut an onion into small cubes, chop the hot pepper, then crush the coriander and cumin in a mortar and pestle.
• Heat the oil, fry the onions and chili for a while, add the cumin and coriander and sauté them briefly.
• Pour in the coconut milk and half a liter of water and stir the lentils.
• Finely chop ginger and garlic and stir into soup with turmeric.
• Let the soup simmer over medium heat for 20 minutes.
• Add the precooked chickpeas, season the soup with lemon juice, and serve with a sprinkling of fresh coriander or mint leaves if needed.
Recipe: Lentil salad on arugula
Ingredients for 4 servings:
100 grams of red lentils, 50-100 grams of celery, 1 leek, 250 grams of vegetable broth,
1 bay leaf, 150-200 grams of bacon, 2 green onions, 1 sour apple, 1-2 lemons, 100 grams of arugula, 1 tablespoon of fruit vinegar, salt, freshly ground pepper,
Pinch of sugar or 1 teaspoon honey, 3 tablespoons canola oil
• Rinse the lentils.
• Peel the celery, cut it into small cubes, chop the shallot finely and fry in hot oil. Add lentils and celery cubes and saute a little.
• Pour into the vegetable broth, add the bay leaf, and simmer over medium heat for 8-10 minutes until the lentils are soft but not crunchy yet.
• Fry the bacon in a covered skillet until crispy, then drain on kitchen paper.
• Wash and clean the green onions and cut them into thin half rings.
• Cut the apple into cubes and sprinkle with two tablespoons of lemon juice.
• Clean the watercress, wash it, and squeeze it dry.
• Mix the salad dressing with two tablespoons of lemon juice, vinegar, salt, pepper, honey and oil.
• Remove the bay leaf from the lentils. Combine warm lentils with diced onions and apples, season with seasoning, season to taste, and arrange on arugula. Chop the bacon or cut into cubes and pour over the salad.
Recipe: Hazelnut and Lentil Pie
Ingredients 8 servings as a starter:
350 grams of mixed nuts (hazelnuts, almonds, walnuts, etc.), 350 grams of brown lentils, 150 grams of celery, 200 grams of onions, 2 cloves of garlic, 500 grams of tomatoes (or 300 grams of ready-made tomato puree), 100 grams of butter, 3 eggs, 1-2 tsp thyme, salt, pepper
• Cut the nuts, cook the lentils, chop the celery and onions well, and heat the oven at 200 degrees Celsius.
• Cut the tomatoes into cubes and let it boil until you get a paste, sifted, you will need about 300 ml of puree.
• Melt the butter in the tomato puree, then add the nuts, vegetables and spices.
• Mix well, stirring in the eggs, and place them in an oiled or lined loaf pan, with a capacity of 1-1½ liters.
• Bake the pie for 1 hour until firm, covering with baking paper if necessary.
• Do not remove the pie from the pan until it has cooled completely. It is best to leave them overnight.
[vc_media_grid grid_id=”vc_gid:1577440414981-40865450-5051-7″ include=”14728,14729,14730″]