Daniel's Dish in Babylon
A humble and fortifying dish of lentils and barley simmered with leeks, bitter herbs, and a drizzle of oil, eaten with pure water. The very rusticity of devotion.
A humble and fortifying dish of lentils and barley simmered with leeks, bitter herbs, and a drizzle of oil, eaten with pure water. The very rusticity of devotion.
You who seek the light, listen to the one whom God sent to Daniel, the man of desires. He would not have the meats nor the wine from the royal table of Babylon: he asked for only ten days of the vegetables of the earth and water from the well. And behold, his face appeared fairer than those who ate the king's food. Take, then, the brown lentils and the barley, the leek and the bitter herbs; simmer them patiently. For the spirit that lightens itself of excess receives the word from above more clearly.
- •Brown lentils — a good measure (protein base)
- •Hulled barley grains — a handful (filling cereal)
- •Leeks — a few (aromatic)
- •Bitter herbs (wild rocket, chicory) — a bunch (greens of the fast)
- •Cumin — a pinch (spice)
- •Olive oil — a drizzle (binder and flavor)
- •Salt — to taste (seasoning)
Daniel's Dish in Babylon
A humble and fortifying dish of lentils and barley simmered with leeks, bitter herbs, and a drizzle of oil, eaten with pure water. The very rusticity of devotion.
Why this dish? It is to Daniel, exiled in Babylon, that Gabriel appears to explain his visions (Book of Daniel 8 and 9). Daniel, refusing the king's food, ate only vegetables and water. Here, then, is the very simple table of the man to whom Gabriel came to speak.
You who seek the light, listen to the one whom God sent to Daniel, the man of desires. He would not have the meats nor the wine from the royal table of Babylon: he asked for only ten days of the vegetables of the earth and water from the well. And behold, his face appeared fairer than those who ate the king's food. Take, then, the brown lentils and the barley, the leek and the bitter herbs; simmer them patiently. For the spirit that lightens itself of excess receives the word from above more clearly.
Ingredients (period version)
- Brown lentils — a good measure (protein base)
- Hulled barley grains — a handful (filling cereal)
- Leeks — a few (aromatic)
- Bitter herbs (wild rocket, chicory) — a bunch (greens of the fast)
- Cumin — a pinch (spice)
- Olive oil — a drizzle (binder and flavor)
- Salt — to taste (seasoning)
Ingredients
- Brown lentils — 200 g (base)
- Pearl barley — 80 g (cereal)
- Leeks — 2 (aromatic)
- Rocket or young chicory leaves — 100 g (bitter greens)
- Ground cumin — 1 tsp (spice)
- Olive oil — 3 tbsp (binder)
- Salt — to taste (seasoning)
Method
- Rinse lentils and barley, then cook them in a large amount of simmering water (about 35 minutes; barley takes longer).
- Slice the leeks and gently soften them in olive oil with the cumin.
- Combine the leeks with the drained lentils and barley, salt, and let simmer for 10 minutes to blend flavors.
- Off the heat, fold in the chopped rocket or chicory, which brings the green bitterness of the dish.
- Serve warm in an earthenware bowl, with only fresh water to drink, like Daniel.
How it was made : In the 6th century BCE, the Judean deportees in Babylon mainly ate cereals, legumes, and vegetables. The Book of Daniel recounts that Daniel and his companions asked to receive only "vegetables" (the Hebrew word zēroʿīm designates what grows from the earth, seeds and plants) and water, refusing the king's impure table. No New World products, of course: no tomato or chili, but lentils, barley, leeks, and field herbs.
The contemporary twist : Serve as a contemporary 'bowl': lentils and barley at the bottom, a ribbon of confit leeks on top, rocket as a finishing touch and a drizzle of olive oil — sober as a fast, beautiful as an illuminated page.
Sources : Book of Daniel 1:8-16 (the vegetable and water diet) · Book of Daniel 8 and 9 (Gabriel explains visions to Daniel)
Archangel Gabriel · Charactorium