Curried Lentils with Poached Eggs & Garlicky Yogurt Recipe for Dinner
This dinner recipe brings together earthy, spiced lentils with poached eggs and a garlicky yogurt sauce, offering a hearty and flavorful meal. The rich curry flavors are complemented by creamy yogurt and runny yolks, making it a perfect comfort food dish.
Equipment
- Medium pot
- Small bowl for yogurt sauce
- Wide pot for poaching eggs
- Slotted spoon
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil plus more for drizzling
- ½ cup diced shallots 2 to 3 shallots
- Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper as needed
- 5 garlic cloves
- 2 tablespoons grated peeled fresh ginger
- 1 tablespoon garam masala
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground turmeric
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
- 12 ounces about 1 ½ cups brown lentils
- 1 dried chile de árbol or other dried whole chile or ½ teaspoon red chile flakes
- 1/3 cup plain yogurt preferably whole milk (mixed with a little milk to thin it down if using Greek yogurt)
- 4 to 8 eggs
- Fresh cilantro leaves for serving
- Red chile flakes for serving
Instructions
- Start with the base: Warm the olive oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Add the diced shallots with a pinch of salt and sauté them until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Prepare the aromatics: As the shallots cook, finely mince 4 garlic cloves. Stir the chopped garlic, grated ginger, garam masala, turmeric, and cumin into the pot, cooking for about a minute until the spices become fragrant.
- Cook the lentils: Add the lentils, 4 ½ cups of water, the dried chile, and 1 teaspoon of salt to the pot. Bring everything to a boil, then lower the heat to medium-low. Allow the lentils to simmer uncovered for 30 to 60 minutes, depending on their freshness, stirring occasionally. If the mixture becomes too dry, add water ½ cup at a time to maintain a stew-like texture. Taste the lentils and add more salt if needed. Keep the pot covered to retain warmth after cooking.
- Make the yogurt sauce: In a small mixing bowl, combine the plain yogurt with the last garlic clove, finely grated. Season the yogurt sauce with salt and pepper to taste, and set it aside.
- Poach the eggs: Fill a wide pot with water, salt it lightly, and bring it to a gentle simmer. Crack an egg into a small cup, then carefully slide it into the simmering water. Repeat this process for the remaining eggs. If necessary, cook the eggs in batches to prevent overcrowding. Let the eggs poach for 2 to 3 minutes, until the yolks are semi-soft. Use a slotted spoon to remove the eggs and transfer them to a plate lined with paper towels to drain.
- Serve the dish: Spoon the cooked lentils into warmed serving bowls. Gently place 1 or 2 poached eggs on top of each portion. Add a dollop of the garlicky yogurt sauce, drizzle some olive oil, and garnish with fresh cilantro leaves and a sprinkle of red chile flakes. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Notes
- Serve with crusty garlic-rubbed bread or over coconut rice for added texture and flavor.
- Adjust the spice level by adding more or less dried chile or chile flakes.
- Use green lentils as an alternative to brown lentils if preferred.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!