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lentils

Quick & Easy Stuffed Curry Hummus Pita with Beluga Lentil Salad

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Imagine sitting in the green grass on a sunny day, in the shade of a cherry tree and enjoying a soft and warm pita bread stuffed with creamy and tangy, Indian inspired curry hummus, together with a refreshing lentil-veggie-and feta salad and topped off with some smooth avocado and a sprinkle of sea salt. Definitely sounds like something I would love to try.

I am not sure what exactly it is, but there is something about picnicking that just hits different. For some reason, picnic season always is the best season, still it can get a little bit boring if you always make the same dishes every time. Obviously, we can easily avoid that!! Therefore with this (super tasty) dish, we are introducing a picnic recipe series, so you’ll always have something delicious to make for your next picnic brunch!! And really, this is good. The fact that my dad (who is very skeptical when it comes to vegan food and things like hummus and lentils) finished half of it before I left for a picnic.

What is special about this dish?

Kind of everything. Usually, you would dip Pita into Hummus or another dip, or you would fill if with something like falafel or chicken. Well, here we are doing neither. We actually are more or less, combining two dishes. Pita + hummus and beluga lentil salad. It may sound a lot at first, but trust me, the combo is amazung. Plus, it really is super duper easy to make and comes together in 20 minutes. And it is super meal prep friendly, easy and not messy to eat, which makes it perfect for a picnic.

Plus, it features two of the most delicious products from NENI am Tisch. NENI makes (incredibly tasty) oriental inspired food, has many, many, amazing restaurants and their own products. We are using their beluga lentils and their curry hummus here, to make this recipe even easier and quicker. You can find all their products at SPAR, Edeka, Globus & Tegut.

Is this dish healthy?

Yes, yes, yes. I mean, look at it! It already is so beautifully colourful – how can something this colourful not be healthy? Let’s break it down a little bit. As for the lentil salad, we have several different components. The lentils themselves first, they are very high in fibre and a great source of plant based protein. Plus, they come with many other nutrients. Then, also in the lentil salad we have got several different. veggies. First up the sweet potatoes. Sweet Potatoes are a nutrient bomb basically, loaded not only with deliciousness but also with carbohydrates, fibre and lots and lots of vitamins.

Then we have a mix of several different veggies. Here it really is up to you what you want to use! I love some cucumber, tomatoes, spring onions and avocado. You could also add in some asparagus or corn or whatever you like. Depending on which veggies you choose, the vitamins and minerals will vary a little, but you will definitely get a bunch of them! Then we also have some avo (obv) for some healthy fats and a sprinkle of feta (which is optional and really good) for some salty goodness and a bit more protein and fats. Not to forget about the pita, which gives us all the energy we need through its carbohydrates. If you want to go a bit healthier with that, you could swap it out for a wholegrain pita.

How to make this dish?

We need to start by preparing the sweet potatoes because they take the longest. To do so, we chop them into about 1cm sized cubes, toss them with some salt, pepper, paprika and oil and then bake them at 200°C for about 20 minutes. In the meantime we can just go ahead and prepare the lentil salad. For this we just chop up the veggies and toss it with the NENI lentils, then we only slice up some feta and avocado.

When the sweet potatoes are done, we can also toss them with the lentils and then we can start stuffing the pitas. To do so, we first spread some curry hummus onto the insides of the pita. Then we fill them up with the beluga lentil salad and top them with avo and feta. And that already is it!

The perfect picnic dish!

This really is IDEAL for picnic. You don’t make a mess while eating it because you can just take bites from the pita. Plus, it is really easy to prepare and does not loose in taste even when it is not eaten right away but stored in the fridge for several hours. Moreover, if there is any lentil salad left, you can just store it in a separate container and take it with you too. And lastly, it already looks so beautifully summery, you’ll really, really want to take this onto a picnic!

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Quick & Easy Curry Hummus Stuffed Pita with Summery Beluga Lentil Salad

Easy to make, packed with flavor and soso delicious – just the ideal picnic food. A soft and warm pita filled with summery flavours of a fresh beluga lentil salad and a curry hummus. All in all – a dream

Course dinner, lunch, picnic
Prep Time 10 Minuten
Cook Time 20 Minuten
Total Time 30 Minuten
Servings 2 servings

What you will need

  • 1 small sweet potato (about 400g)
  • 1/2 tsp paprika powder
  • 1 tbsp oil (flavor neutral)

For the lentil salad:

  • 1 package NENI "Orientalischer Beluga Linsen Salat" (or 200g cooked beluga lentils with lemon juice, olive oil & herbs)
  • 1/4 cucumber
  • a handful cherry tomatoes
  • 2 spring onions
  • 1/2 avocado
  • 3-4 radishes
  • a handful mixed greens
  • 100 g feta cheese

For the rest:

  • 5 tbsp NENI Curry Hummus
  • 1-2 pita

How to

  1. Preheat the oven to 200°C. Peel the sweet potatoes and chop them into about 1cm sized cubes. Toss them with the oil, paprika powder, salt and pepper and lay onto a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Bake for 20 minutes until soft.

  2. In the meantime wash the cucumber, radishes and tomatoes. Half or quarter the tomatoes, chop the cucumber into bite.sized pieces and finely slice the radishes. Add them to a bowl along with the lentils, greens, the crumbled or chopped feta and the sliced avocado.

  3. 3 minutes before the sweet potatoes are done, you can add the pita into the oven so it gets re-heated. Then take everything out, toss the sweet potato with the lentil salad and cut the pita in half. Spread the curry hummus into the inside of the pita and then fill it with the lentil salad. Enjoy!

I hope you really enjoy making and eating this and have a beautiful picnic!

Love,
Katie

Creamy Lentil Dhal

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This is honestly one of the best things I‘ve ever made. I really really enjoy that on chilly winter days when you want a hot bowl of something but also on warmer days because it also tastes great when it is enjoyed cold and it actually enhances the flavor when kept in the fridge overnight or for several days. This makes it super meal prep friendly. You can just store it and take it to work, school, or Uni whenever you need it. It is like that with every curry or heavily spiced dish, it only gains flavor when left for a day or a few.


So what is dhal?
Dhal is an Indian term that refers to split pulses, such as beans, peas and lentils. These legumes, how you call them in English, are staple foods in Indian cuisine. But dhak is also used to name several dishes, mostly soups. Traditionally there are tomatoes and onions as well as several other spices added. In Asia it usually is eaten with some flatbread or rice. 

Is it good for me?
I love curries. So much. But sometimes you just feel like having something heartier with more substance. Like this lentil dhal. Lentils are packed with protein and fiber but also lots of other vitamins. Plus there’s a good amount of spices in here which makes everything super flavorful. The veggies and potatoes add some more taste and the toppings take it next level. 


What is in this recipe?
So, I am not a traditional Indian, surprise, surprise, so I took a traditional dhal and added a few things.The star of the dish are red lentils. If you really do not like those, I would recommend using split peas. Besides that we have some onion, garlic, ginger, graham masala, curry powder, turmeric, cumin, paprika powder, bell pepper, carrot as a base. We sautée everything and then add vegetable stock. We add in some potatoes that are peeled and cut. I do not think that it is very traditional to add potatoes but I believe that they add an incredible comforting feeling to it and make everything more filling. Plus they add some nice texture. You could also opt for sweet potatoes instead if you prefer but yellow potatoes work a bit better. 

Next come the lentils. I do not pre soak mine or pre cook them because red lentils cook pretty fast. So we add them in after a while and let everything simmer. Once the lentils are soft, in goes some coconut milk. The coconut milk is essential. I would use full fat one since we have a lot of broth and with low fat ones, you won´t be able to achieve that creaminess. While everything simmers for a little, the flavors of the spices will get deeper into the curry and the lentils become a little bit mushy, which tastes so great. 

So that basically is the dhal, but what would it be without toppings? Let´s be honest, toppings take everything next level. We are cutting up a lime, of which we will squeeze the juice on the dhal after serving, garnish the dish with a little (plant based) yoghurt or more coconut milk, some fresh cilantro, sliced up spring onions and if wanted (but really good) some cashews or peanuts for extra crunch and extra tastiness. 

I would recommend to serve it over some rice or with naan bread. With either one you can soak up the liquid and it tastes super delicious!

Is it family friendly?

Yes! It definitely is! Not only that it is very versatile, as you can add in some ground chicken when stir frying the veggies or some grilled prawns on top, when including some animal products but it also it can be made more or less spicy, depending on who eats it. Moreover, it can be kept in the fridge for several days, so every member of the family can take it to school or work. 

I hope that you will enjoy making and eating this dish, and that you will love it as much as I do! It is such a great dish to enjoy all throughout the year, is super healthy and packed with tons of flavors!

Enjoy, 

Katie // Une Petite Cuisinière

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Creamy Lentil Dhal

A super flavorful and warming dinner, that is super easy to make and incredibly delicious and healthy!

Course bowl, dinner, lunch, Main Course
Cuisine Indian
Prep Time 15 Minuten
Cook Time 30 Minuten
Total Time 45 Minuten
Servings 4 servings
Calories 434 kcal

What you will need

Thats what you will need:

For the base:

  • 2 tbsp oil
  • 1 yellow onion
  • 4 cm ginger
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1 tbsp graham massala
  • 2 tsp curry powder
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 1 tsp paprika powder
  • 1/2 tsp cumin
  • 1 red bell pepper
  • 1 carrot

The rest:

  • 500 g potatoes
  • 200 g lentils
  • 500 ml vegetable broth
  • 200 ml coconut milk

For servings:

  • some rice
  • some cilantro
  • cut up spring onions
  • yoghurt (plant based)
  • some nuts

How to

That is how it works:

  1. Finely dice uo the onion, garlic and ginger. In a pan heat up the oil. Once hot add the cut up veggies in. Sautee them for 2 minutes and then add the spices and sautee for another 2 minutes.

  2. Peel the carrot. Finely dine it and the bell pepper aswell. Add them to the pot and sautee for 2 minutes. Add the vegetable broth.

  3. Peel the potatoes and cout them into about 2 cm chunks. Once the broth boild, add the potatoes in and let everything cook for 10 minutes. Then add in the lentils and let everything boil for another 10 minutes.

  4. Next pour in the coconut milk and let everything simmer for another 5 minutes.

  5. Once ready, put it into bowls. Garnish with some yoghurt, cilantro, spring onions and cilantro.

  6. Serve and enjoy!

Coconut Curry Lentils

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This is one of my favorite ways to enjoy lentils. In a good and creamy coconut milk, spices, along with some rice, vegetables or bread! A definitely must try! 

When it is rainy outside and you just want some heat and comfort, this is great! It is for days when you don’t want a soup but don’t want meat, just something easy and good. Something as a quick weeknight dinner, that makes you feel awesome, boosts your mood and tastes bomb! The curry lentils are great for this occasion, because ether are super nutritious and packed with flavor and spices. 

A little bit about lentils…

When I made this the first time, I fell in love with it and it made me cook more often with lentils. Lentils are a real amazing food. They are Part of the legume family, along with beans and chickpeas. Lentils, that you can purchase at the supermarkets in Austria are often grown in Austria which makes them a regional product, which is better for the environment since it doesn’t need that much transportation. Moreover, lentils are packed with protein and nutrients! They contain 25g protein per 100g, which is real amazing, that is the same amount as chicken breast contains! They are really easy to cook, basically the same way you cook rice. If you are too lazy too cook them or need them to be done even quicker, you can find some canned ones at the supermarkets too! 

And the other ingredients

The onion and the spices in the beginning, just give the entire dish this kick of flavor. The onion adds the sweetness while the spices heat it up and give the oriental touch. I use dry spices and not curry paste because I believe that it works better with the lentils. To be honest, I have never tried it with curry paste before but if you do want to give it a try I would opt for a red one probably. 

The coconut milk creams up the entire dish and adds richness. I would go for normal canned options and not low fat ones because the flavor is different and it makes it all a little more hearty. Plus it takes it to the next (curry) level. I believe that a real good curry (at least Thai ones) need some coconut milk. The recipe I make is a mix of Thai and Indian, because Indians don’t use coconut milk but the dry spices, and Thai ones use coconut milk and curry paste. So it is a crossover! 

Perfect dish

No matter whether you make this dish for meal prep (because wir works great for that) or prepare it as a vegan Christmas dish or serve it at new year (because it is said that lentils bring money), it is a super delish meal to make. Perfect for friends or family that are vegan, and for those who are not. I hope that you will enjoy it and have a really nice Christmas! 

Enjoy,

Katie

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Coconut Curry Lentils

Comforting, warm, delicious, nutritious. The perfect winter dish, for christmas or new year, for vegan friends, or just to treat yourself! One of the best ways to cook lentils!

Course bowl, dinner, lunch, Main Course
Prep Time 3 Minuten
Cook Time 17 Minuten
Total Time 20 Minuten
Servings 2 servings
Calories 438 kcal

What you will need

  • 1 tbsp Olive Oil
  • 1 white onion
  • 1 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1 tsp paprika powder
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp curry powder
  • 120 g red lentils
  • 300 ml vegetable broth
  • 150 ml coconut milk
  • 2 tsp tomato paste
  • 2 tsp harissa paste
  • 1 tsp peanut butter
  • some spinach or kale to stir in optional
  • some cilantro and peanuts to garnish

How to

Thats how it works:

  1. Finely dice up the onion. In a pot heat up the olive oil and add the onion in. Sauté it for a few minutes until it is all glassy. Then add in the spices and let them in cooperate well for about one minute. Next, pour the lentils into the pot and sauté them for a few seconds before you add the vegetable broth. 

  2. Once it boils, reduce it to a medium-low heat and let them simmer for 15 minutes. They should almost be done by now. Add in the tomato and harissa paste, the peanut butter and the coconut milk. Stir everything in until well combined and creamy. I wished, and on hand, stir in some extra spinach or kale.

  3. Place in bowls and garnish with some peanuts, some coriander and a little extra coconut milk. Serve over rice, vegetables or with bread and enjoy!