shakshuka + lentils
Shakshuka is a traditional breakfast food from Israel served with a side of bread. Typically, the dish has two main stars: egg and tomato. Here at wai, we don't eat much bread, so we added in a filler in the dish itself: lentils!
Lentils contain a bunch of nutritious goodies, like: antioxidants, protein, iron, fiber, calcium, and magnesium--just some to name the least. It is a fantastic legume that works wonderfully in this traditional dish, giving it more fullness to make a hearty meal.
Ingredients
1 tbsp avocado oil
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp ground white pepper
1/2 tsp red chili flakes
1/2 tsp cayenne
1 tsp paprika
1 bell pepper, finely chopped
3-4 tomatoes, finely chopped (or one 28oz can tomatoes diced or whole), save as much juice as possible
1/3 cup green lentils, rinsed, soaked for 1 hour, and drained
1/2 cup vegetable/chicken stock
1 tsp sherry
4 eggs, room temperature
Optional: chopped herbs (eg basil, cilantro, parsley, mint)
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
Heat and oil an oven-safe skillet. Add onions and garlic. Saute until slightly browned and softened. Stir in cumin, paprika, cayenne, red chili flakes, black pepper, and white pepper.
Stir in bell peppers and tomatoes. Add lentils and vegetable stock. Bring everything to a boil, then lower heat to let everything simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the lentils soften. Stir occasionally to prevent ingredients from sticking and burning to the bottom of the pan.
Carefully stir in sherry and let simmer for 1 minute. Remove skillet from heat. Use a spoon to carefully create 4 wells in the dish. Be sure not to create a well too deep where you can see the bottom of the pan. Crack an egg into each of the wells and season with a pinch of black pepper. Place skillet in preheated oven and let cook for about 8 minutes to let eggs set.
Remove from oven and sprinkle with an herb of your choice. Serve hot and enjoy!
