Black Lentil Curry

I don't consider myself a superstitious person, but for whatever reason when it comes to starting a new year, I suddenly become irrational. I look for signs and omens in the silliest things, whether it's an uninvited person knocking at my door or my taking down the trash on New Year's morning. These all count toward bad luck in the new year -- in case you didn't already know.

When it comes to lucky New Year's foods, I stuff my face with lentils, greens, and pork as these foods supposedly guarantee good luck for the year ahead. So here I am posting a recipe for lentils! But, honestly I love the tradition of cooking lentils for the new year, firstly, because I adore lentils, and secondly, I always have a bag of them in the back of my pantry for whenever I need a hearty, fiber-filled meal.

I'm not always keen on eating the same lentils recipe every year, because I feel the new year should be celebrated with a new dish, so I'm always experimenting when it comes to cooking lentils. This year I settled on an Indian-inspired dal-like recipe using black lentils. These glossy, obsidian legumes not only look pretty but they also hold their shape once cooked. I don't always care for a bowl of mushy lentils, sometimes I want a bit of texture. (Black lentils are also great in salad for this reason!)

So, I present to you my black lentil curry in a hurry! The prep takes no more than 15 minutes, then it's just letting the lentils cook for about 45 minutes. All this means is that you can whip together a quick meal in an hour, and most of the time isn't even spent actively cooking, so you could be doing other superstitious things in the meantime. Enjoy!

Black Lentil Curry

Note: Make sure to pick over the lentils for stones. Wash them well in many changes of water until the liquid is near clear. Strain into a sieve.

2 tablespoons coconut oil
1 medium to large white onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 tablespoon grated or finley minced ginger (about 1/2-inch piece)
1 tablespoon garam masala
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon black cumin seeds
1 14.5-ounce (400 grams) can chopped tomatoes
1-1/4 cup (250 grams) black lentils
4 to 6 cups water or vegetable broth
fine sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
yogurt or sour cream, for garnish
pomegranate seeds, for garnish
cilantro, for garnish
lime zest, for garnish

Warm a large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and ginger; saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add spices and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add tomatoes and their juices. Scrape up any residue in the pot. Cook the tomatoes until they become slightly jammy, about 5 to 10 minutes. Add lentils and water; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce to a simmer, and cook until lentils are tender, about 45 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. When serving, garnish each bowl of lentils with yogurt, pomegranate seeds, cilantro, and freshly zested lime. Yield: 4 servings.