Curried Lentils and Mushrooms

Wednesday 9 February

Barbara used to make this dish more frequently; in fact, it comes from her long-heralded but never-appearing book on cooking for one, The Fear and Loathing Cookbook.

This amount feeds two, or one with leftovers for another meal, which is just as good.

250 ml lentils (a little over a cup)

750 ml water (or 3 times whatever the lentils are)

salt

oil

1/2 tsp whole cumin seeds

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 onions, chopped

1/2 to 1 lb. mushrooms, cleaned and sliced

ca. 2 tsps curry powder

3 Tbsp. fresh cilantro leaves, chopped

cayenne and pepper to taste

yogurt

scallion or chive greens, chopped (opt.)

Wash lentils and put them in a Dutch oven with three times as much water. Bring to boil over high heat, then reduce, cover, and let simmer for ca. 20-30 minutes, depending on age (the lentils' not yours), until tender. Add salt to taste, and set aside.

In a pan, add 2-3 Tbsp oil and heat to medium-high; add cumin seeds and sizzle a few seconds. Add onion and garlic, stir until transparent. Add mushrooms, stir until dark and wilted. Dust with the curry powder to taste, stir until it is all amalgamated and spice is slightly toasted.

Bring lentils back to simmer, and stir mushroom mixture into the pot. Cover and put in 350 oven for ca. 20-30 minutes. In last 10 minutes, stir in cilantro leaves, cayenne and pepper to taste; leave open if it's too soupy. Serve with a dollop of yogurt and a scatter of scallion greens on top.

Surprisingly homey, even for those who don't normally care for Indian flavors, and an excellent vegetarian one-pot meal.