Don’t get me wrong, I like a good hummus on carb-days, but sometimes I want a different dip with a different bean, or in this case, lentils. Red lentils give the base a nice colour, and the berbere spice blend gives it a nice kick.
Spicy Red Lentil Dip Recipe
Ingredients:
- 1 cup red lentils, soaked in 4 cups water and 2 tablespoons vinegar for 10 hours and drained and rinsed
- 1 bay leaf
- One 2” square piece of kelp (aka kombu) (helps neutralize gas-producing enzymes)
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt,
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped (plus a little extra for garnish)
- 2 teaspoons Berbere spice
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon roast pistachios, chopped (for garnish)
Directions:
Combine the lentils, bay leaf, kelp and 1 tsp. salt in a medium saucepan. Add enough water to cover by 1 inches and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer gently until the lentils are tender and falling apart, about 10 minutes. Drain the lentils in a fine-mesh sieve. Discard the bay leaf and seaweed and let the lentils cool for 10 minutes in the sieve.
Transfer the lentils to a food processor and add the lemon juice, tomato paste, garlic, cilantro, berebere, cumin, and olive oil. Blend until smooth, stopping once or twice to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Season the dip with salt, if desired, and transfer it to a serving bowl. Allow the dip to stand for at least 1 hour before serving to allow the flavors to develop.
Did you make this vegan carb-up spicy red lentil dip recipe? If so, please let me know how it goes in the comments. Or if you share pics of your creations on Instagram, please tag me so I can see them. Enjoy! :)
