Pasta With Lentils

This is one-pot, wholesome and super-easy dish that definitely deserves a flaunting. If you’re done with the monotony of cooking lentils the same old ways – soups, stews, salads, etc. – this will come as a respite. This is me. I get bored easily, cooking the same recipes over and over again. Need, as they say, is the mother of all inventions… this applies in the kitchen too. Thus, this recipe. The deep, rich flavored sauce when tossed with pasta, is a crowd-pleaser, specially the kids. Pasta doesn’t need any cajoling after all 🙂

Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 40 minutes
Serves: 4-5

Ingredients:
200 gms brown lentils, washed thoroughly and soaked in water for 15 minutes.
200gms pasta of your choice. I’ve used Macaroni here.
2 medium size onions, finely chopped.
2 medium size tomatoes, pureed. I always go an extra mile by roasting the tomatoes before pureeing them. This I feel, makes the puree more flavorful.
1/2 cup tomato ketchup
2 tbsps chili sauce
1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
2 heaped tsps Kashmiri chili powder or smoked or regular paprika
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
2 tsps corriander powder
3 cloves
3 green cardamoms
1 bay leaf
1 medium cinnamon stick
5-6 cups of water
Oil for frying. I’ve used Olive oil. Any cooking oil will suffice.
Salt as per taste
Chopped corriander
Grated parmesan cheese

Method:
1. Heat oil in a large saucepan and add all the whole spices – cloves, cinnamon, cardamom and bay leaf. Fry for few seconds till aromatic.
2. Tumble in the onions and fry till translucent.
3. Add the ginger-garlic paste and saute for a minute till the raw smell goes away.
4. Now add the spice powders – chili, turmeric, corriander and fry on low for a minute.
5. Add the pureed tomatoes and saute on medium till the oil starts leaving from sides.
6. Add the tomato ketchup and chili sauce and stir.
7. Now add the soaked lentils, water and salt. Mix well and simmer on medium for about 25 minutes or until the lentils are tender, lid on.
8. Stir occasionally. Add more water if you feel the sauce is drying out.
9. Toss the pasta into the sauce and cook on medium, lid on. This should take about ten minutes, depending on the type of pasta you use.
Alternatively, you can cook the pasta according to package instructions, drain and then tumble it into the sauce along with some pasta water.
10. While plating, generously grate Parmesan and garnish with chopped corriander.