flipLentil Porridge with Cumin and Oil
Lentil Porridge with Cumin and Oil
Why this dish? Behind the pomp of the great duke of Hell lies the ordinary cuisine of the cities where Astarte was worshipped: a people of sailors and stevedores who mostly ate lentils, a nutritious, cheap and storable base — the true daily bread of the ancient Levant.
A thick purée of brown lentils simmered with onion, cumin and coriander, bound with olive oil and enhanced with a dash of brine. Comforting, earthy, fragrant — the everyday dish that was sopped up with flatbread.
Do not think, peasant, that I feed only on incense and blood. The people who chanted my name on the docks of Sidon lived on lentils, and there is no shame in that. They were thrown into water with onion, left to swell gently, then came the cumin and coriander from the caravans, and oil by the ladleful. Dip your bread in it, and you will eat as my faithful once did.
- •Brown lentils — a bowlful (nourishing base)
- •Onion — one, sliced (aromatic base)
- •Cumin — a pinch (spice)
- •Coriander (seeds) — a pinch (spice)
- •Olive oil — generously (binder and richness)
- •Fermented fish brine — a dash (seasoning)
Lentil Porridge with Cumin and Oil
A thick purée of brown lentils simmered with onion, cumin and coriander, bound with olive oil and enhanced with a dash of brine. Comforting, earthy, fragrant — the everyday dish that was sopped up with flatbread.
Why this dish? Behind the pomp of the great duke of Hell lies the ordinary cuisine of the cities where Astarte was worshipped: a people of sailors and stevedores who mostly ate lentils, a nutritious, cheap and storable base — the true daily bread of the ancient Levant.
Do not think, peasant, that I feed only on incense and blood. The people who chanted my name on the docks of Sidon lived on lentils, and there is no shame in that. They were thrown into water with onion, left to swell gently, then came the cumin and coriander from the caravans, and oil by the ladleful. Dip your bread in it, and you will eat as my faithful once did.
Ingredients (period version)
- Brown lentils — a bowlful (nourishing base)
- Onion — one, sliced (aromatic base)
- Cumin — a pinch (spice)
- Coriander (seeds) — a pinch (spice)
- Olive oil — generously (binder and richness)
- Fermented fish brine — a dash (seasoning)
Ingredients
- Brown or green lentils — 250 g (nourishing base)
- Onion — 1 large, sliced (aromatic base)
- Ground cumin — 1 tsp (spice)
- Ground coriander — 1/2 tsp (spice)
- Olive oil — 4 tbsp (binder and richness)
- Fish sauce or salt — 1 tsp (or to taste) (seasoning)
Method
- Sauté the sliced onion in olive oil until softened and lightly golden.
- Add cumin and coriander, stir for 30 seconds to bloom the spices.
- Add rinsed lentils and cover with water by three fingers; simmer for 30 to 40 minutes.
- Roughly mash some of the lentils to thicken, season with a dash of fish sauce or salt.
- Serve drizzled generously with olive oil, with flatbread for sopping.
How it was made : Lentils are among the oldest crops of the Fertile Crescent. In the ancient Levant, they were cooked slowly into a thick porridge, seasoned with olive oil and spices brought by caravan routes (cumin, coriander). It was the staple food, from temple to port, and was transported dry on Phoenician ships.
The contemporary twist : A spoonful of brine replaced by a drizzle of colatura di alici and some crispy fried onions on top: the porridge becomes an 'ancient street food' bowl.
Astaroth · Charactorium
