Brazilian Lentils
I’ve mentioned before Brazilians are a superstitious people, and you need to look no further than New Year’s traditions to know this is true. Among other things, we wear white, we also wear new underwear, we must jump seven times, and finally, we eat lentils for positivity and good luck. The last one was a tough sell for me as a kid. Lentils are arguably the least sexy of all beans and that is most likely the fault of how it is often so blandly prepared.
This lentil recipe is not that. It’s also not a daal (which I love) that relies on aromatic spices and cooks to a porridge-like consistency. This a Brazilian style lentil, cooked gently to remain whole-ish like a bean, and be enjoyed as you would any other Brazilian bean over rice.
Served here over rice, with a Fennel herb salad and air-fried halloumi.
Ingredients
2oz Pancetta
1 onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon cumin
1 Bay Leaf
1 cup green lentils
5 cups of water
1 teaspoon salt
Black pepper to taste
Servings: 12
Time: 15 minutes active time; 40 minutes cook time.
Steps
In a large dutch oven or deep skillet, cook the pancetta over medium heat for 3- 5 minutes.
Add the onion and cook until translucent about 6 minutes.
Then add the garlic and cumin and cook for another 2 minutes.
Add the bay leaf, lentils, the water, and the salt. Leave on medium heat for 5 minutes then lower the heat to a simmer.
Cook partially covered for 35 minutes, giving the lentils a stir once in a while.
The consistency should be thick, but there will still be liquid in the pan for a Brazilian style bean dish. If your lentils absorbed too much water, add more at 1/2 cup increments to get desired consistency.
Serve over a grain and season with black pepper to taste.
Serving Suggestion
Serve over rice or couscous for a delightful lentil experience. To experience the full plate as pictured and get the recipes for the salad and halloumi, visit the original post on Substack.
