Black Lentil Bowl with Paneer and Tahini Dressing

Black Lentil Bowl with Paneer.JPG

Servings: 4

Time: 1 Hour

Note:

This recipe uses a simple tahini dressing from Bon Appetit Magazine that pairs perfectly with black lentils and paneer. Serve this as a hearty dinner for 4, or serve 2 with a perfect amount of leftovers for the next day’s lunch. Just add a fried egg on top and enjoy!

Ingredients:

  • 1 sweet potato, cut into bite size pieces

  • 1 cup black lentils

  • 1 bunch rapini, ends trimmed

  • 1/2 cup tahini

  • 3 tablespoons lemon juice

  • 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided

  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric

  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne

  • salt & pepper to taste

  • 4 ounces paneer cheese, sliced into 1/4 inch slices

  • 1 avocado, diced

  • 2 green onions, sliced

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees

  2. Toss sweet potato pieces with 2 tablespoons olive oil and a sprinkling of salt & pepper. Place on a sheet tray and roast 30-35 minutes until slightly caramelized and soft in the middle.

  3. Place lentils in a medium saucepan and add enough water to cover the lentils by two inches. Season with 1 teaspoon salt. At this point you can also add optional aromatics (1 carrot cut into large pieces, 1 celery stalk cut into large pieces, 1 half onion or 1 shallot, and herbs like parsley or dill. I use whatever I have in my fridge, but this part is optional if you don’t have anything available).

  4. Bring lentils to a boil and then lower heat to a simmer. Simmer, uncovered, for 20-25 minutes until the lentils are just cooked through. Drain, and transfer to a large bowl. Remove aromatics, if added.

  5. In a large pot of boiling water, cook rapini until just tender, about 4-5 minutes. Drain, then cut into 1-2 inch pieces.

  6. Make the dressing by whisking together the tahini, lemon juice, 2 tablespoons olive oil, turmeric, cayenne, 1/4 cup water, and salt & pepper to taste.

  7. Once the sweet potatoes and rapini are done cooking, add them to the bowl with the lentils and toss with the tahini dressing. Reserve 2 tablespoons of dressing for plating.

  8. Just before serving: In a frying pan, add 1 teaspoon of olive oil and heat over medium heat. Fry the paneer slices briefly on each side (1-2 minutes) until both sides are golden brown.

  9. Transfer black lentil mixture to individual bowls and top with avocado slices, green onions, and paneer. Drizzle the reserved dressing on top of all the ingredients ad sprinkle with a little more salt.

foodDara Chapmanbowls, greens, grains, lentils, paneer, avocado, tahini, rapini, salad2 Comments