Lentils, one of my favorite foods, go way back. I mean waaaay back. Lentils were among the first crops at the dawn of agriculture in the Fertile Crescent some 6,000 years ago. Like other ancient field crops – barley, peas, emmer wheat – lentils emerged from wild predecessors, whose seeds were hard to gather. Early settled people accidentally replanted some of those wild seeds by discarding them near the garbage heap. Gradually, people began intentionally planting seeds saved from the previous harvest. As they reseeded from their better-performing plants their crops improved.
In that same era, another major breakthrough occurred in the Fertile Crescent. Terracotta (“baked earth”) pots were created by shaping then baking clay. Such pots permitted boiling and stewing food. It’s probably no coincidence that clay pots for cooking (and brewing!) co-evolved with the production of grains and legumes, which benefited from cooking. They made each other more valuable. Growing storable food crops and having an easy means of cooking them (along with raising domesticated animals) led to the ascendancy of the settled agriculture lifestyle over hunting and gathering.
That evolutionary clash between farmers and hunters, in which settled agriculture – including lentils – ultimately triumphed, is metaphorically portrayed in an ancient text familiar to many. In Genesis, the first book of the Bible, Esau, the older of the twin sons of Issac (and grandsons of Abraham) is the hunter. His younger twin, Jacob, settled down to agriculture. When Esau, after some unsuccessful hunting, is starving he begs Jacob for food. Jacob had cooked a pot of red lentils, which he gave to Esau after extracting from him Esau’s birthright as the first son. Thus the farmer won out over the hunter. And the lineage of Abraham, through Issac, went to the younger, but more occupationally successful, twin. (Genesis 25:27-34. See, I’m not making this up.) A pot of stewed red lentils gave us the House of Jacob, which became the House of Israel.
Lentils were common in ancient Rome. (From their Latin name, “lens, lentis.” we eventually got “lentil.”) The early Roman cookbook attributed to Apicius, an epicure of the 1st century AD, contains a recipe for stewed lentils. They’re cooked with leeks, cilantro (yes, it’s one of the earliest herbs used in Western cooking), coriander seed and other seasonings, honey, vinegar and “green” (presumably olive) oil. (Apicius #184}
Aside from their historical interest and their potential for making delicious food, lentils are inexpensive, simple to store, quick-cooking, easily digestible, non-allergenic, and highly nutritious, providing protein, iron, soluble and insoluble fiber, and several B vitamins. They’re practically a wonder food. They give sustenance to large parts of the modern world, especially South Asia, as they did in the ancient world.
I started making appetizers from red lentils (tan/gray-green lentils that have had their skin-like hulls removed) when I joined my daughter, Maria Dondero, of Southern Star Studio, in her talks on pottery making. It’s customary in artistic circles to offer refreshments at “openings,” lectures, and demonstrations. Dips made from lentils and served from a terracotta dish humorously paired again that legume with pottery.
Here is a dip of red lentils (yellow when cooked) that draws on their history, using only ingredients that go back at least 4,000 years in the region where lentils originated. Besides lentils, these include onion, olive oil, coriander, cilantro, wine vinegar, honey and sea salt. I obviously can’t guarantee that such a dip was actually made during the past 4,000 years, but it could have been. Unfortunately, I have been unsuccessful at making small ancient-style barley cakes to dip into the mixture, so we’ll have to go with more modern crackers.
Tim Dondero, co-owner and Executive Chef of Donderos’ Kitchen is a culinary enthusiast who has taught international cooking in Atlanta and Athens for years. His redesigned blog is at timsspecialrecipes.com.
The dip can be presented on a terracotta dish. The recipe serves six to eight as an appetizer.
Red Lentil Dip in (Hopefully) Ancient Style
- 1 cup split red lentils
- 1/2 of a small onion, very finely diced (3-4 tablespoons)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for garnishing
- 2 cups water, plus more as needed
- 1 teaspoon sea salt, plus more if needed
- 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 2 teaspoons wine vinegar (or cider vinegar)
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 tablespoon coarsely chopped cilantro leaf, for garnish
Rinse the lentils and soak them in water to cover by an inch or more while preparing the remaining ingredients.
In a pot, gently fry the onion in the olive oil, stirring frequently, until softened but not browned. Drain the lentils, and add them to the pot, along with 2 cups of water, bring to a gentle boil, stirring frequently and scraping the bottom of the pot. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the lentils soften and break down (10-20 minutes). Add a little water from time to time, if needed, to maintain a creamy consistency.
Once the lentils have softened, add the salt and coriander, and continue to simmer, stirring often, for 10 minutes. Add the vinegar and honey and simmer another minute or two. Taste, and if needed add salt to taste.
Cool. Serve in a small bowl or serving dish. Drizzle with a little olive oil and sprinkle with chopped cilantro. Accompany with crackers.
