Red Lentils and Fennel Over Toasted Flatbread Triangles

Name: Red Lentils and Fennel Over Toasted Flatbread Triangles
Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups dried lentils; 2 inches fresh ginger; 3 or 4 cloves garlic; 1 or 2 large fennel bulbs (about a pound); 1 tablespoon yellow or brown mustard seeds (or one tablespoon whole grain mustard); 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom; 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves; 1 ancho or other mild dried chile or red chile flakes to taste; 4 to 8 flatbreads; 2 tablespoons cold butter or good-quality vegetable oil plus more for brushing; Salt and pepper

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Makes 4 servings 1x

Units Scale

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups dried lentils
2 inches fresh ginger
3 or 4 cloves garlic
1 or 2 large fennel bulbs (about a pound)
1 tablespoon yellow or brown mustard seeds (or one tablespoon whole grain mustard)
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 ancho or other mild dried chile or red chile flakes to taste
4 to 8 flatbreads
2 tablespoons cold butter or good-quality vegetable oil plus more for brushing
Salt and pepper

Instructions

Prep | Cook

Rinse 1 1/2 cups red lentils in a colander under cold water, picking through for anything else that looks odd.

Heat the oven to 425°F.

Put the lentils in a large pot and add water to cover by about an inch. Bring to a boil, then adjust the heat so it bubbles steadily. You’re going to be adding seasonings to the pot as you prepare them.

Peel 2 inches ginger and 3 or 4 cloves garlic, and chop them together. Add to the pot.

Trim and halve the fennel, reserving some of the fronds for garnish. Chop the bulb and tender stalks into bite-sized pieces and add them to the pot.

Add one tablespoon mustard seeds or mustard, 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom, 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves, and 1 chile to the pot. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally and adding just enough water to keep the lentils from sticking, until they soften and fall apart, 20 minutes.

Cut the flatbreads into triangles of any size and spread them out on a rimmed baking sheet. Brush them with a little vegetable oil if you like, but that’s not necessary.

Chop or tear the reserved fennel fronds.

Put the baking sheet in the oven and toast the flatbread, turning once if the bread is thick until crisp, 5 to 10 minutes depending on the type. Spread them out on a serving platter or put in individual shallow bowls.

When the lentils have broken down and thickened the liquid, add some salt and pepper and stir in the 2 tablespoons butter or vegetable oil. Remove the chile; if you like, break the flesh and seeds apart and stir them back into the pot. (Or just leave the chile out.) Taste and adjust the seasoning. Garnish with the fennel fronds and serve over the flatbread.

– Recipe from How to Cook Everything Fast: Completely Revised and Updated