Crushed Lentils with Tahini and Cumin

A flavoursome twist on hummus from Yotam Ottolenghi, these lentils are best served with warm pitta bread for a light dinner or hearty working-from-home lunch.

Ingredients

200g French green lentils

30g unsalted butter

2 tbsp  olive oil, plus extra to finish

3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed

1 tsp ground cumin

3 medium tomatoes, skinned and cut into 1cm dice

25g coriander leaves, chopped

4 tbsp  tahini

2 tbsp  lemon juice

salt and black pepper

½ small red onion, peeled and sliced very thin

2 hard-boiled eggs, quartered

 

Method

Bring a medium pan of water to the boil. Add the lentils and cook for 20–30 minutes or until completely cooked. Drain and set aside.

Put the butter and oil in a large sauté pan and place on a medium–high heat. Once the butter melts, add the garlic and cumin and cook for about a minute. Add the tomatoes, 20g of the coriander and the cooked lentils. Continue to cook and stir for a couple of minutes before adding the tahini, lemon juice and 70ml of water, along with 1 teaspoon of salt and a good grind of black pepper. Lower to a medium heat and continue to stir and cook gently for about 5 minutes, until hot and thickened. Using a potato masher, roughly mash the lentils a little so that some are broken up and you get a thick porridge consistency.

Spread the lentils on a flat serving plate and sprinkle with the onion, remaining coriander and a final drizzle of olive oil. Serve warm with the hard-boiled eggs alongside and a sprinkle of paprika, if using.