Lentil Risotto

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lentil risotto picture

Lentil Risotto

Urad dal (aka white lentils) in risotto is a very non-traditional spin on dal, and completely delicious! It’s also more nutritious than white rice and the cheese rind truly takes this dish to another level, but using it is completely optional. I suspect a small drizzle of white truffle oil would also add to this recipe’s elegance. White lentils are available at Indian and Middle Eastern stores as well as online. I purchased mine from Famous Foods in Vancouver (they have an excellent selection).  Note, the unhulled version are called black lentils, but they are not advised. The only lentil substitution I would suggest if you can’t source white lentils is red lentils.

One other note about sodium and salt, as I’m commonly asked how much sodium should be consumed within a day. First, sodium and salt are different compounds. The salt we eat is a combination of sodium (40%) and chloride (60%) ions. It’s generally suggested (if you don’t have a pre-existing medical condition such as hypertension or kidney disease) that our daily sodium intake should not exceed 2 g/day, roughly 5 g of salt or 1 tsp. Yes, that’s it! The best way to avoid excess sodium intake? Limit processed and packaged foods, and be especially careful with commercially prepared high salt foods – canned and instant soups, prepared pickles and olives, processed cheese, condiments like ketchup, gravy, soy sauces, salad dressings, crackers, boxed cereals….Needless to say, best way to know exactly what is in your food is to cook it yourself.

I hope you try this Lentil Risotto and if you have any delicious additions to suggest, drop me a line?

lentil risotto picture

Urad Dal Risotto

Serves 4

Ingredients:
1 ½ cups white lentils, soaked for 8-12 hours if possible
2 Tbsp. ghee or coconut oil
2 medium onions, finely diced
½ tsp. fine grain sea salt (Maldon salt flakes taste amazing)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 rind Pecorino Romano, optional but delicious (a parmesan rind also works)
a generous grating of Pecorino Romano to garnish (optional but delicious)
4-5 cups vegetable broth

1 lb. mixed mushrooms, cleaned of all dirt and debris, and roughly chopped (such as golden and trumpet chanterelles, and oyster mushrooms, but any type work)
a few sprigs fresh thyme, leaves removed, plus a few for garnish
2-3 Tbsp. ghee, butter, coconut or olive oil
a couple pinches sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 cloves garlic
2 tsp. balsamic vinegar, optional

Directions:
1. Wash lentils well, drain and rinse until water runs clear. Set aside.

2. Melt ghee in a large stock pot. Add onions, salt and stir to coat. Cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes until the onions are softened and just starting to caramelize – don’t brown them too much or they will colour the dish! Add garlic, the lentils, 3 cups vegetable broth and the cheese rind, if using. Stir well and make sure that the broth is covering the lentils by at least a few centimeters. If not, add more. Bring to a simmer, stir and cover.

3. Over the next 30 minutes or so (cook time depends on whether or not you soaked the lentils), stir the pot every few minutes (this helps release the starch and add creaminess) and check the broth level, adding more as needed to just cover the lentils.

4. After about 20 minutes, start to prepare the mushrooms. Melt the ghee in a large skillet and add the mushrooms. Stir to coat and let them cook over high heat without touching them for at least three or four minutes. The key here is to create a caramelized crust on the mushrooms, so high heat and no stirring is a MUST. Flip and repeat until golden on all sides. Add a touch more ghee, garlic, thyme leaves and to the pan. Cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant, season with salt and pepper and a splash of balsamic vinegar, if desired.

5. The lentils are done when they are tender but not mushy. The consistency of the dish should be very much like a classic risotto: more solid than a soup, but thinner than a stew, so make sure that there is enough stock in the pot. Remove cheese rind. Divide between plates, garnish with cheese and black pepper, place mushrooms on top and garnish with a sprig of thyme and more black pepper.