Root vegetable recipes: Turkish carrots and lentils

By Diana Henry Published: 9:55AM GMT 19 Feb 2010

Turkish carrots and lentils Photo: YUKI SUGIURA

Serves four to six

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I made thsi recipe recently as part of a Middle Eastern meal and it got all the plaudits. You can serve it as a side dish, or as a main course with rice or bulgur wheat. It also makes a very good meze, served at room temperature with other "little dishes.

4 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, cut into slim crescent-moon slices

4 cloves garlic,

finely chopped

1 tsp coriander

seeds, crushed

tsp chilli flakes

100g (3oz) green or puy lentils

6 large carrots, cut into rounds

2 tbsp tomato pure

2 tsp caster sugar

275ml (9fl oz) water or vegetable or chicken stock

2 tbsp chopped mint, parsley or dill (or a mixture of two of these)

good squeeze of lemon

extra-virgin olive oil, to serve

Heat the oil in a saucepan and saut the onion until it is soft and pale gold. Add the garlic, coriander seeds and chilli and cook for a further two minutes. Now add everything else except the herbs, lemon and extra-virgin oil. Season, going easy on the salt if you are using stock rather than water. Bring to the boil and cook until the carrots and lentils are tender and the liquid has been absorbed (top up the liquid if you need to). It should take about 30 minutes, but it might be a bit more.

The lentils should not become mushy but should retain their shape; green ones need extra vigilance. Taste, add whatever herb you are using and a good squeeze of lemon, then taste again and adjust the seasoning. Add a good slug of extra-virgin oil. Serve at any temperature you like. Greek yogurt into which you have stirred some crushed garlic is great on the side.