The Pulse of the ‘90s

Lentil stew may be one of the oldest recipes in the world; the Bible tells us that Esau sold his birthright to his brother Jacob in exchange for this dish. You can’t find the recipe in the Bible, but the French culinary bible, “Escoffier’s Guide Culinaire,” includes a formula for Esau’s soup: Lentils are cooked with beef consomme and diced bacon, and the soup is finished with butter, rice and chervil sprigs. Somehow I doubt that Jacob made it that way.

For years, despite their early fame, and their prominence in the cuisines of the region where the biblical bargaining took place, Americans tended to overlook lentils. Long considered humble fare, lentils were sustenance mostly when the food budget was low.

In the last few years, however, lentils have become fashionable. Restaurant chefs are pairing them with glamorous ingredients. Trendy restaurants might offer grilled scallops on a bed of lentils or sauteed sweetbreads with lentils.

A Lebanese friend told me that when she lived in Beirut 50 years ago, the regional specialty called mujaddara --lentils with rice--was a dish for the servants and the poor. The only time it appeared on the tables of the bourgeoisie was on laundry day, when there was little time to cook.

Now, she tells me, the dish is popular among people of all classes, in part because of the recognized nutritional merit of lentils. Mujaddara is served as a main course, accompanied by a cucumber-and-yogurt salad, or as a side dish with meat, chicken or even fish. Combining lentils and rice is so widespread in the Middle East that you can even buy packaged mujaddara mix at the market.

Actually, this combination is known, under different names, in an area that stretches from India to Egypt. In its simplest form, as prepared by the Armenians, Egyptians and Lebanese, the lentils and rice are flavored only with deeply browned sauteed onions, salt and pepper. As you travel east, spices are added. There’s an Iraqi version with cumin and tomato paste and an Indian recipe called kichri that includes fresh ginger root, garlic, turmeric, cardamom and cloves. Another difference is that many Near Eastern recipes call for more lentils than rice, but in the Indian dish the proportions may be reversed.

From a nutritional standpoint, we have many reasons to appreciate lentils. They are a member of the legume family of dried beans and peas, the best plant source of protein. While lentils can fulfill the same role in a meal as meat does, they contain no cholesterol and practically no fat. Lentils are high in complex carbohydrates and fiber and rich in iron and potassium.

All legumes can be cooked ahead, and they reheat well. But lentils have an advantage over all the others. Unlike dried beans, they do not require overnight soaking. And they cook quickly, taking only 20 or 30 minutes to become tender (up to 45 minutes for soup)--other legumes usually take more than an hour. This makes them the most useful legume for people with busy schedules.

Dill and cumin flavors this hearty, thick soup. The recipe comes from my sister-in-law, Mati Kahn, who was born in India. She prepares it often for her family as the centerpiece for a winter vegetarian meal.

AROMATIC INDIAN LENTIL SOUP 1 1/2 cups lentils 2 tablespoons oil 1 large onion, chopped 1/2 pound ripe tomatoes or 1 (14-ounce) can whole tomatoes, drained and finely diced 4 medium cloves garlic, chopped 1 teaspoon ground cumin Water 2 bay leaves 3 tablespoons snipped or chopped fresh dill Salt Freshly ground pepper 1 to 1 1/4 cups long-grain white rice Lemon wedges, optional

Sort lentils, discarding any stones and broken lentils. Rinse lentils and drain.

Heat oil in medium saucepan. Add onion and saute over medium-low heat 7 minutes. Add lentils and saute together 1 minute. Add tomatoes, garlic and cumin and saute 1 minute.

Add 3 cups water and bay leaves. Bring to boil. Cover and simmer over low heat until lentils are very tender, about 45 minutes, adding 2 cups water in 3 or 4 portions during cooking. If soup is too thick, add 1 cup water and bring to boil. Discard bay leaves. (Soup can be made to this point, covered and refrigerated 2 days. Reheat before serving.) Add dill. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, add rice to pan of 5 cups boiling salted water. Boil, uncovered, until tender, about 14 minutes. Drain well.

To serve, spoon generous portion of rice into each bowl and ladle soup over. Serve with lemon wedges. Makes 4 or 5 servings.

Sauteing the onions thoroughly until they are deep - brown is the key to making this dish delicious. Serve it with a salad of sliced cucumbers mixed with yogurt, a touch of finely minced garlic and a dash of dried mint.

MUJADDARA (Lebanese Lentils With Rice) 1 cup lentils Water 4 to 5 tablespoons oil 2 large onions, chopped 1 cup long-grain white rice Salt Freshly ground pepper

Sort lentils, discarding any stones and broken lentils. Rinse lentils and drain.

Combine lentils and 2 cups water in medium saucepan. Bring to boil. Cover and cook over medium heat until lentils are just tender, about 20 minutes. Drain liquid into measuring cup and add enough water to make 2 cups. Set aside. Leave lentils in saucepan.

Heat oil over medium heat in heavy skillet. Add onions and saute, stirring occasionally, until well browned, about 15 minutes. Add onions and oil to pan of lentils. Add measured liquid and bring to boil. Add rice and season to taste with salt. Cover and return to boil. Reduce heat to low and cook, without stirring, until rice is tender, about 20 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve hot. Makes 4 or 5 servings.