Sweet Korean Lentils
All the flavors of Korean BBQ made vegan and gluten-free Sweet and mildly spiced, just 15 minutes to make
All the flavors of Korean BBQ made vegan and gluten-free Sweet and mildly spiced, just 15 minutes to make
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 cups water
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 2 green onions (chopped)
- 1/2 yellow onion (chopped)
- 2-3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 piece of ginger (minced)
- 1 tablespoon light oil ((such as canola vegetable, or peanut oil))
- 1 cup red lentils
- cooked rice for serving
- Carbohydrate 50.6473700367218 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 4.65368000144859 g
- Fiber 22.1170500233337 g
- Protein 22.1014400181074 g
- Saturated Fat 0.665435000188317 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (457g)
- Sodium 26.1600000474647 mg
- Sugar 28.5303200133881 g
- Trans Fat 0.531355000673596 g
- Calories 313 calories
Step-by-step
- In a medium bow, mix together all the sauce ingredients.
- Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat, then add the onion and sauté for a few minutes until the onion softens and begins to brown.
- Now add the lentils and the sauce.
- Cover and bring to a gentle simmer until the lentils are cooked and tender, and most of the liquid is absorbed, about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Serve by spooning over rice, and garnishing with the green onions and sesame seeds.
Cooks often fail by substituting brown or green lentils for red ones without altering the cooking liquid ratio. Red lentils break down rapidly into a smooth, porridge-like consistency, whereas whole brown or green varieties retain their firm shape and require substantially more water to soften. Achieving the right texture relies entirely on matching the correct legume variety to the rapid cooking time of eight to ten minutes.
- Use brown sugar as listed, but agave nectar or coconut sugar can replace it at a strict one-to-one volumetric ratio without altering the viscosity of the reduction.
- Mince the ginger finely so fibrous strands do not disrupt the mouthfeel of the soft legumes.
- Maintain a medium heat setting on the skillet; excessive heat will scorch the soy sauce and sugar mixture before the lentils absorb the moisture.
- Toast the sesame seeds in a dry pan for precisely sixty seconds before garnishing to release their essential oils.
- Store leftovers in an airtight glass container in the refrigerator for up to four days.
Adaptations of traditional flavor profiles using non-traditional pulses have a long history in modern fusion cooking. Balancing savory soy sauce with natural sweeteners creates a glaze reminiscent of classic bulgogi marinades while keeping the preparation entirely plant-based.
