The Best Lentil Recipes From Food52.com

For the past year, Food52.com readers have been voting in weekly showdowns of reader-submitted recipes on a given theme. The winning recipes of each week will end up in Food52's upcoming cookbook, along with bios of the people who submitted them (Food52 explains the process in simple detail here).

Food52 and its co-founders Amanda Hesser and Merrill Stubbs have invited HuffPost Food readers to vote on week 18's contest (of the second year, and the second book).

This week's showdown is for the best lentil recipe.

Check the finalists out below, and vote for your favorite here.

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Mujaddara with Spiced Yogurt

Photo: Sarah Shatz

Amanda and Merrill's notes on Mujaddara
with Spiced Yogurt on Food52.com:

Rumor has it that Mujaddara is not only good, but good for you too (apparently, the combination of lentils, onions and yogurt wields near magical powers -- especially for women). Whatever its health properties, we love the varying textures and flavors: crisp, sweet onions tangle with fluffy jasmine rice and tiny, plump French lentils that burst happily in your mouth; the minted spiced yogurt adds zip and simultaneously ties everything together. Rivka's nuanced dish is a meal all its own, and its fragrance lingers long after you've taken the last bite. - A&M

View the Mujaddara with Spiced Yogurt recipe here.

Vote for this recipe here.

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Curried Lentil Dip

Photo: Sarah Shatz

Amanda and Merrill's notes on Curried Lentil Dip on Food52.com:

A dip that could also serve as a hearty side or a fortifying soup, safenervine's dish is full of happy surprises. We love the technique of skimming the coconut butter from the top of the coconut milk to sauté the onions, garlic and ginger, and the hot spice oil adds a vibrant finish. Don't be alarmed when your "red" lentils melt into a buttery yellow mass -- the cilantro brings a welcome hit of green, as well as an element of freshness. The second time around, we added a spritz of lemon juice to finish the dip and really liked the results. - A&M

View the Curried Lentil Dip recipe here.

Vote for this recipe here.

Comments

[Lachicavegana Comefrutas]

01:01 PM on 01/14/2011

The Black Gram Lentil recipes, think Dal Makhani, are great from The Indian Slow Cooker Book.

www.getskinnygovegan.blogspot.com

[BebeLush]

10:43 AM on 01/13/2011

Mmmmmmmmmmmmm, a new lentil recipe. My day is complete.

[gypsynomad]

09:47 AM on 01/12/2011

Very basic, with yellow lentils....cook in pre boiled water, to make a soup, add turmeric and salt to it. Add chopped tomatoes and cilentro , and optiomal chopped hot green pepper to taste. Some add chopped red onions to it also a dash of roasted cumin power...yummy...

[tercio]

12:12 PM on 01/12/2011

Me like it! :)

[gypsynomad]

03:18 PM on 01/12/2011

Thanks...sometimes after the lentils are cooked, heat a couple of tea spoons of oil in a pan, add quarter of a teaspoon of fenugreek seeds ( cumin seeds would be good as well) to it, let it be golden brown and add to the lentils, super... ;)

[Dharma kate]

11:03 PM on 01/11/2011

Well, I think you just solved the age old "What's for dinner??" for tomorrow night.... SOLD.

[Casa-Giardino]

07:54 PM on 01/11/2011

Thanks, but I eat lentils with pancetta.

[Mary OGarbiadd]

01:55 PM on 01/11/2011

The recipes sound delicious, and lentils are so wonderful on so many levels. My favorite lentil recipe is from Costa's Greek Restaurant on the Ave in Seattle, WA. They gave me their recipe at one time, and I would love to see them put it on the web..but it was composed of lentils, water, salt, bay leaf, perhaps garlic, and the key is to add a cup of vinegar and a cup of olive oil to the finished pot. It is truly delicious. I make it for camps, potlucks etc. and people just love it, although I can not do justice to Greek cooking. mg

[mssreader]

06:19 PM on 01/11/2011

Mary, I do a simple dal with red lentils, onion, garlic and fresh ginger and water. That's it and it is delicious. I always have plenty in the freezer and usually add a dollop of chutney when I serve. Served with a warmed pieta bread, which you ca use as a dip, and you have a dinner.

[mssreader]

06:22 PM on 01/11/2011

Oops, forgot the spices, cumin, a tiny pinch of paprika, corriander pdr, tumeric, and masala or cardamon or both. and a bit of sea salt.

[garystartswithg]

01:13 PM on 01/11/2011

Sorry but yogurt and coconut milk are two of my least favorite things on earth. I do not like them and they do not like me.

Lentils are easy! Try the standard lentil recipe (lentils, mirepoix, bouquet garni) and add a big can of tomatoes to add some substinance. Very easy, very tasty.

[Lachicavegana Comefrutas]

12:01 PM on 01/11/2011

The best lentil recipes I have found this year are from Anupy Singla's "The Indian Slow Cooker".
She uses unsoaked beans for all of her recipes. All you do is dump stuff in and push a button!
I especially like her black lentil recipes and the kidney bean Rajmah. I am blogging my way through her book (all vegan recipes). Should be interesting as I really have Zero Indian Cookery experience! And I am using a slow cooker for the first time!

www.getskinnygovegan.blogspot.com

[naschkatze]

01:12 PM on 01/11/2011

I wasn't aware of that book so thanks for the tip. I am a fan of Indian food and slow cookers.

[Lachicavegana Comefrutas]

11:54 PM on 01/11/2011

Yes, this book I'd awesome and I totally discovered it accidentally!
She doesn't soak ANY of her beans! Kidney, Garbanzo, Mung.
She is great and so happy I found this!

[mssreader]

06:22 PM on 01/11/2011

You don't need to soak lentils as they cook so quickly.

[Lachicavegana Comefrutas]

11:57 PM on 01/11/2011

Yeah, I know you never need to soak the lentils, but she doesn't soak ANY of the beans. Kidney, White Garbanzos, Black Garbanzos!
The recipes are SIMPLE and you can basically make any of them with zero added oil.

[Lachicavegana Comefrutas]

12:00 AM on 01/12/2011

Her blog is at
www.indianasapplepie.com

There are links on her blog and on my blog to several of her recipes.
If you like Indian food, you MUST have this book.
It is seriously nearly zero work, which If and when I go back to eating a ton of raw food, will be great to make for the hubby with very little work.
Plus all the superfood ingredients are in the dishes!
Helps with blood sugar, metabolism, and inflammation.

www.getskinnygovegan.blogspot.com

[crom14]

09:20 AM on 01/11/2011

Yum! Thank you so much for this wonderful article! Lentils are SO good!

[naschkatze]

09:47 PM on 01/10/2011

I couldn't vote because they both sound fabulous.

[janedoe31]

08:53 PM on 01/10/2011

Mujaddara can also be made with bulgar (wheat germ) instead of rice.

[naschkatze]

09:47 PM on 01/10/2011

Thanks for the tip. Same amount?

[Vivian Alicia Evans]

07:39 PM on 01/10/2011

I love Mujaddara. So does my family. A new favorite!

[Daisytoo]

06:59 PM on 01/10/2011

What wonderful recipes! Thanks for sharing.