Spiced Lentils with Veggie Sausage

Those of us who eat, specifically those who cook at home, do so for different reasons. To nourish ourselves, for a start. To feed our families, or use up some vegetable languishing in the fridge, or to practice our skills in the hope of becoming the next Master Chef. All of these are admirable reasons to cook. But I would argue that the most powerful urge to cook something is brought on by a different kind of necessity--to recreate a memory. Whether it's making a grandmother's beloved cream puffs, carefully piping out the pate a choux and turning the old, flour-coated pages of Joy of Cooking with newly floury hands, or attempting the Chinese pork dumplings your host family taught you abroad and cautiously prodding the bobbing dumplings across a sea of bubbling water, nothing compares to cooking when you have a specific, personal memory in mind. 

Which is why it was absolutely necessary that I cook these spiced lentils tonight. While the old jar of brown lentils stonily waiting in the pantry urged me on, I truthfully made this because I miss my friend, Dave. He is in Israel, which I imagine is dry and summery now. It's a cold and rainy night in New York, and I know that David would be soldiering on on the Upper West Side with his smart coat and scarf and hat if he were here, probably on his way home to make something warm and delicious and comforting. This was the first vegetarian recipe I ever learned how to make, and it was Dave who taught me. Spiced lentils are cheap, fast, easy and delicious. Make them immediately, eat in a large bowl while reclining on a couch, and think about those dear to you. Cheers, Dave. 

 Of course I had neither tomatoes nor onions when I decided to make this, but a little improvisation never hurt anybody. I used some frozen pearl onions instead of a freshly chopped one. I let them get nice and deeply brown, for extra flavor.

Adding the spices at the next step is vital to building flavor--why not deepen those caramelized onions by toasting your spices right in the pan? Swirl the cumin, amchur and onions around for  a few minutes, until the spices are fragrant.  

 Next we add some tomatoes, garlic, and ginger, letting them caramelize as the juice from the tomatoes condenses and evaporates.

Next, we add the lentils! Just throw them right in, and stir them around with the tomato juices for a second.   

Then we're basically done--just add water to the pot until it covers the lentils by about an inch. Let them cook over medium-high heat for about 12 minutes, then taste--feel free to add salt, pepper, and more spices here (if you think more spices are necessary). Let them continue to cook, stirring occasionally and topping off with more water as it cooks down, until lentils are cooked through but still have a bit of bite--the lentil equivalent of al dente pasta. Make sure you have about 3/4 cup of water left in the pot before you take them off the heat--they will continue to cook for a bit, and you don't want dry lentils the next day! Stir in veggie sausage if using. 

This, my friends, is a big 'ol brown bowl of comfort food. (Say "big 'ol brown bowl" three times fast!) I would say this serves about 6-8 people as a hearty main dish, especially with the veggie sausage. I do apologize for the photos being so brown and dark--but it is winter, after all. Enjoy!

And thank you Dave, for being a culinary inspiration even from across the Atlantic.


Spiced Lentils with Veggie Sausage
Lovingly adapted from David S.

Note: I will not begrudge your use of regular pork sausage here. But just so you know, the lentils are hearty enough on their own--even the veggie sausage is gilding the lily a bit. Any green, chopped and wilted into the lentils in the last 5 or so minutes of cooking, is also delicious. If I had remembered, I would definitely have finished these off with a pat of butter, which makes them even creamier and more luxurious.

• 1/2 large onion, chopped (or 25 frozen pearl onions)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin 
• 1/2 teaspoon amchur powder or 1 teaspoon lemon juice (optional) 
• 1 large tomato, chopped (or 7 oz whole peeled canned tomatoes)
• 5 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
• 1/2 inch fresh ginger root, roughly chopped
• 3 cups brown lentils, picked over for any stones
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 veggie sausage, chopped 

1. Brown onion(s) over high heat in a small pot, about 10 minutes. 
2. Add cumin and amchur powders, toasting the spices with the onion. Sauté about 3 minutes.
3. Lower heat to medium and add tomato, garlic, and ginger. Cook for about 3 minutes, until tomato liquid has mostly evaporated. If using canned tomatoes, break them up with your spatula. 
4. Add brown lentils and enough water to cover them by 1 inch. Turn heat to medium-high and let lentils cook about 12 minutes. 
5. Check on lentils, adding more water if necessary and tasting to check for spice levels. Add salt and pepper and veggie sausage and/or greens.
6. Cook lentils until cooked through; they should be soft, but still have a bit of bite. Remove from heat, ladle into bowls, and serve.