Basic Spicy Lentil Recipe With Turmeric & Herbs - Beauty Bites (2024)

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Last updated on November 18th, 2020 at 11:42 am

Basic Spicy Lentil Recipe With Turmeric & Herbs - Beauty Bites (1)

Lentil.s. One of my favorite things in the world – healthy, high-fiber, super cheap and incredibly delicious.

I still have to find a person who doesn’t like lentils. Once you eat lentils, you will want to eat them all the time.

Welcome to my world.

I have made quite a few recipes with lentilsand this is a very basic one to use in awesome salads like this spicy lentil saladand in all kinds of wraps.

These lentils are spicy, flavorful, easy and will make you a very happy person.

Basic Spicy Lentil Recipe With Turmeric & Herbs - Beauty Bites (2)

Here’s what you’ll do:

1. You’ll soak those lovelylentils for a few hours, probably overnight, because who can think of that in the morning? (MEEEEEEE, I always think of lentils). But hey even if you forget to soak the lentils, who cares?Some lentils don’t even need soaking.

Make sure you look for stones and wash them afterwards. I have to admit I never actually search them through for stones or crystals or diamonds and last time I did I found a few real big rocks in there. Some were pretty so I kept them and made a necklace.

2. Okay next, you take a deep pan with a lid put it on a (functioning) stove and then you add your lentils in. You pour in some water, some salt and cook the lentilsuntil they’re tender like the love of Elvis Presley (great, now I’ll have to sing this all day).

3. Then at the last moment, BAM! you add your spices. Surprise, surprise lentils!Meet your new best friends– turmeric, dried chili peppers and his majesty garlic. And then you’re done.

Let the lentilscool off and store them in an airtight container in the fridge for a few days (3-4). I am pretty sure they should also freeze well.

Once you let the lentilscool off they’ll seem a little dry on their own. That’s why you need to combine them with fresh vegetables, some olive oil, this dip or this spicy vegan & paleo cream cheese like I did in this mini pita from outer space.

Basic Spicy Lentil Recipe With Turmeric & Herbs - Beauty Bites (3)


Health and Beauty Benefits

These spicy lentils will get rid of toxins in your body, help you maintain a healthy weight and reduce chronic inflammation. On top they’ll boost your vegetable intake are high-fiber, high-protein and antioxidant-rich.


What you’ll need for this Recipe

  • A deep nonstick pan with a lid anda (functioning) stove.
  • Green or brown lentils. Red or yellow would get too mushy for this.
  • Spices: Turmeric, Garlic, Cumin, Chilli Peppers and a fewother ingredients

I have to be very honest with you here: some types of brown/green lentils cook faster and some take really long. And the worst thing is, I don’t know which. And I don’t know why!!! It makes me insane.

One time when I was visiting my mom I wanted to make lentils and instead I made a big drama because I was hungry and the lentils she had there, cooked a million times slower than the ones I usually use.

Mine take about 15-20 minutes to cook. Red and yellow lentils need even less time.

Yield: 3

Basic Spicy Lentil Recipe With Turmeric & Herbs

Basic Spicy Lentil Recipe With Turmeric & Herbs - Beauty Bites (4)

Make this healthy basic lentil recipe with turmeric and herbs to use in wraps, bowls and salads. This recipe is easy, vegan and gluten-free!

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 25 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 cup dried green/brown lentils (200g), soaked overnight
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 1 tsp majoram
  • 1 garlic clove, sliced
  • 1 tsp ground chili
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp olive oil

For the pitas:

  • my sunflower cream cheese
  • mini (or normal sized) pitas
  • vegetables such as: tomato, cucumber, basil/parsley, spring onion

Instructions

  1. In a large pan cook lentils with salt and around 2 cups of water at medium high heat. Bring to a boil and reduce heat. Cook 10-12 minutes. Check if lentils are done, water should almost be gone, but there still should be some. If there isn’t add a little (around 1/3 cups)
  2. Add garlic, turmeric, chili, majoram, stir very well until lentils are covered well take that beautiful yellow color of the turmeric and the water is completely gone. Turn off heat, add olive oil. Use in wraps, like this with some sauce/dip or cool off and use in a salad.
  3. For pitas: Fill pitas with the turmeric lentils (depending on how big the pitas are can vary, but about 2 tbsp), some chopped tomatoes, cucumbers, some peppers, basil/parsley some spring onions and a tbsp. of this spicy paleo cream cheese sauce.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

3

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 199Total Fat: 9gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 10mgSodium: 443mgCarbohydrates: 24gFiber: 8gSugar: 5gProtein: 9g

And that’s it! Ready in about 20 minutes and soooo goood! If you make these lentils (which in my humble opinion, everyone on Earth should do), go ahead and try thisvery easy salad recipe I used them in.

Hope you like them and make sure to try the mini pitas or they will be sad.

Basic Spicy Lentil Recipe With Turmeric & Herbs - Beauty Bites (5)

You Might Also Like:

Super Delicious Healthy Lentil Bowls

Basic Spicy Lentil Recipe With Turmeric & Herbs - Beauty Bites (2024)

FAQs

How long does it take to cook lentils? ›

Bring to a boil, cover tightly, reduce heat and simmer until they are tender. For whole lentils, cook time is typically 15-20 minutes. For split red lentils, cook time is typically only about 5-7 minutes. Be sure to season with salt after cooking – if salt is added before, the lentils will become tough.

Who should not take turmeric? ›

People who should not take turmeric include those with gallbladder problems, bleeding disorders, diabetes, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), infertility, iron deficiency, liver disease, hormone-sensitive conditions, and arrhythmia. Pregnant women and those who are going to undergo surgery should not use turmeric.

What happens if you don't soak lentils before cooking? ›

Here's why soaking lentils is important

Fact 1: Soaking lentils improves digestion and nutrition absorption as it can neutralise lectins and phytates present that may cause gas and bloating. Fact 2: Soaking lentils also reduces its cooking time. It also brings prana (life) into the legume.

Why do lentils need to be soaked before cooking? ›

Soaking naturally deactivates the harmful compounds and activates all the goodness of the seed and increases its nutritional value manifold. The process of soaking removes the gas-causing elements from the lentils. While legumes contain complex oligosaccharides, a type of complex sugar responsible for bloating and gas.

Should you soak lentils before cooking with them? ›

Lentils do not require it but can be soaked in order to reduce cooking time by about half. Before cooking, rinse lentils in cold water, pick over to remove debris or shrivelled lentils, then drain.

Does turmeric lose health benefits when cooked? ›

Cooking turmeric for just a few minutes does not reduce its nutritional value, but boiling turmeric over high heat or pressure cooking it reduces the effectiveness of Curcumin.

What is the healthiest way to consume turmeric? ›

Turmeric is a yellow spice with a long history of use in both food and medicine. The best way to take turmeric is in supplement form. Choose a supplement that has been specially formulated for better absorption. And look for a USP-verified mark on the bottle.

Is it safe to cook with turmeric everyday? ›

While there is no standard established dose of turmeric to take daily, "The World Health Organization has determined an acceptable daily intake of turmeric powder as 1.4 milligrams per pound of body weight when turmeric powder is used as a spice in cooking," explains Messer.

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