Turkish cuisine · Vegetable Dishes

Spinach Lentils

Green lentils braised with spinach, onions and tomato paste into a thick, creamy vegetable stew.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 250 g lentils (green)
• 600 g spinach
• 2 onions
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 5 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 lemon
• 1 tsp salt

Instructions

1. Rinse the green lentils in a sieve, bring to a boil in 800 ml water and cook over gentle heat for 25 min. without salt, until soft but still whole.
2. Meanwhile wash the spinach, remove coarse stems and cut into wide strips; finely dice the onions and chop the garlic.
3. Sauté the onions in the olive oil over medium heat for 7 min. until soft, add the garlic and cumin and cook for 1 min. until fragrant.
4. Stir in the tomato paste, roast for 1 min., then add the lentils together with their remaining cooking water and season with salt.
5. Stir in the spinach in batches and simmer uncovered for 12–15 min. until the dish is thick and creamy and a spoon leaves a trail.
6. Season with the lemon juice and serve warm or lukewarm in deep bowls.