Braised Lentil Tarts
A surprisingly delicious yet simple starter or main meal. Can be served as a gluten-free option or with puff pastry.
Ingredients
- 1/2 to 1 tsp asafoetida OR 2 cloves of garlic and a small onion both diced. (Asafoetida is preferred here, as it is a great substitute for onion and garlic for those who can’t tolerate them – go easy on the amount until you know what works for you; it’s quite strong)
- 2 cups diced Celery stalks (about 4)
- 2 cups diced Carrot (about 3)
- 2 cups Dried whole green lentils
- 1/4 tsp Pepper – to taste
- 2 tsp Grated fresh ginger
- 2.5 tbsp Massel stock powder, chicken style
- 5 to 6 cups of water
Method
- Soak lentils in water for 3 hours or overnight.
- Put a little oil in a pot (large enough for all the ingredients) and add the asafoetida, pepper, celery and carrot – cook on medium for about 10 minutes stirring frequently (like a stir fry).
- Drain the lentils and add to the pot, stir frequently. Cook on medium heat for 5 to 10 minutes (the idea is to slightly fry the lentils)
- Add water, ginger and stock, simmer on low heat for about 30 minutes. The lentils should be soft enough to eat but not mush. If the lentils were soaked for a short time only then the cooking time might be longer.
Gluten-Free Option
For a gluten-free option, serve on a bed of baby spinach leaves without the pastry tarts OR use gluten-free vegan pastry (eg. Heaven’s Bakery brand).
Also be aware that many brands of asafoetida contain wheat, so check the ingredients. There are gluten-free versions available at some stores.
Tart Option
- Cut vegan puff pastry (eg. Borg’s brand puff pastry) into circles and press into a greased muffin tin.
- Spoon the lentil mixture into the pastry, and sprinkle grated vegan cheese (eg. Bio Cheese) on top with half a cherry tomato, and add pepper to taste.
That’s it! Hope you enjoy this recipe!
Recipe by Lindy Arc-Dekker
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