Ginger Fried Lentils
Adapted from The New York Times.
Servings 2 servings
Ingredients
- ¼ cup peanut oil (or vegetable oil)
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon minced ginger
- Kosher salt
- 1 cup thinly sliced leeks, white and pale green parts only, thoroughly rinsed and dried*
- 2 cups cooked black beluga lentils**
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce
Instructions
- Warm half of the peanut oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add garlic and ginger and cook, stirring occasionally, until crispy and brown (not black!). Using a slotted spoon, transfer the crispy bits to a paper towel lined plate and lightly season with kosher salt.
- Reduce head under the frying pan to medium-low and add 1 tablespoon of peanut oil and sliced leeks. Cook the leeks, stirring occasionally, until soft but not browned (8 – 10 minutes). Season with a small pinch of salt.
- Raise heat to medium and add lentils. Cook, stirring frequently, until heated through. Season to taste with salt.
- In a smaller, nonstick frying pan, fry eggs in remaining oil, sunny side up.
- To serve, divide lentils between two dishes. Drizzle with ½ teaspoon sesame oil and 1 teaspoon of soy sauce. Top each portion with a fried and a sprinkle crispy garlic and ginger.
Notes
* Here is a good resource on how to clean leeks.
** To make black beluga lentils: Wash and pick over 1 cup of lentils, discarding any found stones. In a medium pot, bring 2 cups of water to a boil over high heat. Add lentils, reduce heat to low and simmer until al dente. The lentils should be tender on the outside but still have a little bite on the inside (about 15 minutes). Drain, cool and store in the refrigerator until ready to use. To make this recipe even easier, simply use pre cooked black beluga lentils (found at Trader Joe’s).