“I need a little peace and quiet“, I said to my daughter as I drove the 30 kilometers into the Chouf mountains and the village of Deir el Qamar. Enough of the high voltage hustle and bustle of Beirut. Enough of traffic and cars and noise 24/7.
I am not a fan of team sports; it did not matter. I still HAD to listen to the entire basketball game retransmitted with loudspeakers and a live commentator from the village into all residents, myself included; its happy conclusion (Lebanon BEAT Canada 81/71) was expressed with thundering fireworks into the night.
So much for a little R&R (rest and relaxation).
What about these lentils? Lentils are God‘s perfect food. No wonder Jacob traded his inheritance for a plate of lentils (check the Book of Genesis).
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 cup of brown lentils
- 1 onion, chopped
- olive oil, as needed
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 1 tomato, diced
- 1 green pepper, diced
- a few tablespoons of parsley, leaves chopped
- a couple of cloves of garlic, mashed
- dash of cumin, dried coriander, salt, pepper
- one eggplant, slices salted and drained and fried in olive oil (optional)
- a teaspoon of red pepper paste (optional)
- pomegranate seeds for garnish (optional)
METHOD:
- Heat some water in a saucepan (about 4 cups); as soon as the water steams, add the lentils; you need to have at least 2 inches of water above the lentils. Simmer the lentils gently, skimming the surface from time to time until they are tender to the bite, about 30 minutes. Ideally, they should have absorbed all the water. If a lot of water is left, drain them. Add a jiggle of olive oil to the lentils, blend and set aside.
- Heat some olive oil in a skillet; add the eggplant slices and fry on both sides till soft, about 30 minutes total. Drain on paper towels.
- Add to the lentils all the fresh vegetables: chopped onion, diced tomatoes, chopped peppers, parsley, spices (cumin, salt, pepper), garlic, blend well. Serve on a platter with the eggplant slices forming a ring around the lentil salad.
59 Comments
A yummy salad! That combination is perfect.
Cheers,
Rosa
Indeed – God’s perfect food! I love lentils. This is a nice combination of flavors and colors with eggplant and the pomegranate seeds as garnish. Hope you found the peace you were looking for!
I’ll take peace and quiet any day! (enjoying kids’ first day of school):) and this salad looks so so good right now. Love the flavors.
I love the combination with lentils and eggplants. And the herbs just add to the final result. I love new ideas for salads.
This is just great, simple, cheap and healthy.
Yummy!!!
Healthy and delicious salad..looks very refreshing..
This salad looks delicious and healthy! I agree, when done well, lentils are divine!
Love both lentils and eggplant what a perfect
“Combo”
Perfect post Joumana, I’ll make this tonight. My husband request
Lentil salad looks hearty and healthy. I am in so need of a break and looking forward to a vacation
A terrific combination of healthy ingredients in this delicious salad!
I adore lentils too, Joumana! Was just craving them yesterday, imagining them simmering in a good, hearty soup.
But this salad would be perfect too! I hope you get some peace and quiet very soon. 
Beautiful, fresh and healthy…A perfect salad
Great! Never thought of combining eggplants and lentils in a same dish, but it sounds perfect, thanks a lot! and keep enjoy peaceful places as long as you can:)
The lentils/eggplant dish is just delicious and quite nutritious. I already tried it today, with a small variation–lightly brushing the eggplant slices on each side w/ olive oil and broiling until golden uses much less oil, -and a generous scoop of low-fat yogurt on the side.
A perfect salad! So healthy and delicious
Right, that’s going to be on the menu this week! Sounds wonderful, many thanks again for all the trouble you go to in taking the photos and recording the recipes for us, a real treasure trove. I used to have a recipe book many years ago from Ireland which told a story and each chapter ended with recipes, very much like your blog. A super combination.
We are big lentil eaters here too. This looks incredible with the eggplant!
Joumana this looks so good. I have a little love affair with lentils. They just are perfect anytime with anything. But this looks like a crisp fresh change ont he norm. Adding fried aubergines just got my heart thumping. I love it! YUMYUMYUM!!!!
I love lentils. It’s my favorite kind of legume. Never had it in a salad though. This one looks so refreshing and the aubergines surely give that extra touch of earthy flavor.
Magda
We love lentils and eggplant, and the way you have prepared it it’s wonderful. For sure, I will make it……..Abrazos, Marcela
lovely salad…..I love lentil salads but never used eggplant combo sounds good…
Joumana I really need some little peca all days! Is necessary! This salad look delicious and I love lentils! x gloria
I am in a salad club at work and this will have to be one of our group salad days! Looks wonderful. I too, love lentils!
yummy salad, we love lentils….
sweetlife
What a gorgeous salad! I just love the texture of lentils and this salad looks so satisfying!
looks very healthy..
Joumana, I feel your pain wanting to escape the noise and craving peace and quiet. I hope they quieted down after the game result! I love lentils dearly, too. Part of me can understand trading one’s riches for them. Never thought to combine them with eggplant. Now I will!
I have some really nice precooked lentils in my fridge right now and I have been trying to figure out a good way to use them. This salad looks so flavorful and satisfying!
I hear you on needing some peace and quiet though our reasons might be different. Great combination – lentils and eggplant the two go well together. I’ve had this as a stew – the salad idea is new to me.
@Mod: I had yogurt in the fridge last night and was tempted to use it with! GREAT IDEA!
Effectivement je compatis, le sport à la radio ou meme à la télé, quelle plaie! Parcontre ta salade de lentilles et aubergines, un véritable régal! J’adore toutes tes recettes Joumana!
This sounds wonderful! Yum!
I often eat lentil salad as my go-to dish. This looks delicious.
)))
I love that they broadcast the game on loudspeakers to the whole village
A very healthy salad. Love the combination.
Gorgeous dish – I am big on lentils. Also went away for the weekend – so good for the soul to get away sometimes…
I like lentils…be stew or the salad…they are tasty and healthy.
We must have horoscopes in sync-I just did a radio show talking about cardiovascular effects of Hawthorn. Well done!-your brother must be proud! Love the lentils also, a very underused staple.
Cheers!
Doc
“Lentils are the perfect foods” – can I quote you on that one the next time my father refuses to eat lentils? What a great dish! I hope you got the vacation you desired.
J’aime beaucoup les salades de lentilles, la tienne a l’air très saine et très savoureuse. Je viens de voir tous tes gentils commentaires et ça me fait sourire car je viens juste de poster un article avec un gros clin d’oeil pour toi
Bisous
Hello Joumana
This is a nutritious recipe goes ahead to impress, I am rolling out the red carpet for your super food hall of fame. The pomegranates add pizazz to lentils. the eggplants are like a little bridge and rest around it. this recipe makes you happier more awake and calmer. Lentils are fantastic source of protein and iron, it is ideal for vegetarians or those wishing to reduce animal fats in their diet.
those meaty little lentils make for a wonderful salad base! this is full of awesome flavors and textures–bravo!
What a great salad! I love lentils but sadly I’ve been neglecting them this summer because I always forget about lentil salads. I better squeeze one in before it’s time to make my favorite stewed lentil dish: curried lentils with butternut squash
I adore lentils, but always find myself cooking them in the French style. I love your inclusion of Lebanese flavors here, the pomegranate seeds are a very nice touch. – S
Very interesting … everywhere I look, I’m finding something similar to something I made this week. Great minds, right? Cheers!
We all need peace and quiet from time to time. I am swooning over this salad, love the earth-tones with the beautiful pop of red.
Yes, yes, yes! My favourite ingredients in one dish. I had the eggplants on the menu any other day for last 2-3 weeks and I cannot get enough.
I’ve made a lot of lentil salads but never with eggplant. It’s another fave of mine—a great idea!
Amazing. And the pop of red pomegranate. Oh goss I am hungry.
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[...] completely with Joumana that lentils are God’s perfect food and will be trying her lentil and aubergine salad soon. Delicious, healthy and satisfying which will be perfect for my post France health [...]