Moroccan Lentil Salad

Yes, I'm still into North African food.  For the most part, it's good for you.  This one is vegan, low-fat, and gluten-free, at least until I had it with some naan.

I found a recipe on Salima's Kitchen that didn't need too much tweaking.  For one thing, half a cup of dry lentils per serving?  We're cutting that in half.  Even a vegan of many years would have tummy trouble after that.  Then there was the reader comment that preserved lemon would be a nice touch.  Done.

And while I wasn't thrilled about grating an onion or tomato, it was my day off and I didn't have anything else to do while the naan dough was rising.  Using my old IKEA grater with it's own storage box made it easier to deal with the drippings.

1 Tb olive oil
*3 cloves garlic, minced
*1/2 onion, grated
*1 tsp paprika
*1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, or chili powder for less heat
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp ground pepper
2 Roma tomatoes, grated
*1 C lentils of choice (I used brown), sorted and rinsed
1-1/2 C water
*1 Tb tomato paste
*1/2 preserved lemon, or 1 tsp lemon zest and 1 Tb lemon juice
Parsley for garnish, optional

1.  Heat oil over medium in a large skillet or medium saucepan with a lid.  Add garlic, onion, and spices.  If using preserved lemon later, cut amount of salt in half.  Cook until onion is well softened and everything is fragrant, about 5 minutes.

2.  Add grated tomatoes, lentils, and water.  Stir to combine.  Bring to a low boil, then lower heat to a simmer.  Cover and cook until lentils are done, which will depend on which kind you use.  Red, only 15 minutes.  Green, brown, or black, at least 30 and up to 45.  Check after 20 minutes and add a little water if too dry.  I used the original recipe's 2 cups of water, and ended up having to reduce it when they were still swimming.

3.  Once lentils are cooked, stir in tomato paste and preserved lemon or lemon juice and zest.  Taste and adjust seasonings.  Serve either hot or cold, garnished with fresh parsley, with a side of rice or bread.  I happened to have some kalamata olives opened in the fridge, so those were garnish as well.  Not Moroccan, but neither was the naan.

Serves 4 as main dish, 6 as a side

Difficulty rating  :)