Spiced Lentils and Poached Eggs

Some friends of ours have chickens that are producing more eggs than they can eat, so they have started selling the extra. We signed up to buy a dozen every other week (more than we usually eat), so I was looking for new recipes that use eggs and I found this one. It's a spicy lentil recipe that has poached eggs on top. It's a little labor intensive (the original calls for using three pans!), but it's really tasty and super healthy. I made a few modifications based on what I had on hand, pared it down to two pans, and doubled the quantity of the lentils portion so I'd have leftovers for lunch. I served it with a salad and warmed pita- a very satisfying supper.

Spiced Lentils and Poached Eggs

adapted from Cooking Light, 
October 2012

2 cups dried lentils

6 cups water

2 bay leaves

1 1/2 tbsp olive oil

1 chopped onion

1 can diced tomatoes with chilies (or 2 cups chopped fresh tomatoes or a combination of the two)

1 teaspoon muchi (spicy) curry powder

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 tsp smoked paprika

1/2 teaspoon salt

pinch ground red pepper flakes

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon white vinegar

2 large eggs per person (this dish could serve up to 6)

freshly ground black pepper

feta (optional)

chopped fresh cilantro

1. Combine first 3 ingredients in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes or until lentils are tender. Drain any excess water; discard bay leaf.

2. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add onion and tomato; sauté 8 minutes or until onion is tender. Add curry, cumin, smoked paprika, salt, red pepper flakes, and garlic; sauté 2 minutes. Add mixture to the lentils; stir and cook 1 minute. Remove from heat.

3. Wipe out skillet

4. Add water to skillet, filling two-thirds full; bring to a boil. Reduce heat slightly; simmer. Add vinegar to pan. Break eggs into small shallow dishes, such as custard cups. Gently pour eggs into pan; cook 4 minutes or until desired degree of doneness. Carefully remove eggs from pan using a slotted spoon. Place about 1 cup lentil mixture on each plate; top each serving with 2 poached eggs. Garnish with cilantro, feta, and fresh pepper.