Jono & Jules do food & wine

Turkish carrots with lentils & herbs

We seem to permanently have a half-empty bag of carrots in the bottom of the fridge. This side dish puts them to excellent use and any leftovers are perfect for lunchboxes.

Turkish Carrots & Lentils with Herbs – serves 4-6 as a side dish

• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, halved and thinly sliced
• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1½ tsp coriander seeds, crushed
• ¼-½ tsp dried chilli flakes
• 100g green or Puy lentils
• 6 large carrots, sliced
• 2 tbsp tomato purée
• 2 tsp caster sugar
• 275ml vegetable stock/water
• 2 tbsp chopped mint, parsley or dill
• good squeeze of lemon juice
• extra virgin olive oil, to serve

Heat the oil in a saucepan and sauté the onion until soft and pale gold. Add the garlic and spices and cook for 2 minutes. Then add everything else except the herbs, lemon juice and extra-virgin olive oil.

Bring to the boil and cook until the carrots are tender and the liquid has been absorbed – about 30 minutes.

Taste, add the herbs and lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Add a generous slug of extra-virgin olive oil and serve warm, hot or at room temperature.

(Original recipe from Food From Plenty by Diana Henry, Mitchell Beazley, 2010.)