What to make when you have almost nothing in the fridge

Tahini is mostly thought of as a condiment in Egypt, eaten with bread or other mezze at the beginning of a meal. But In the Levant, dishes of kofta and mahshi (stuffed zucchinis) are often baked in a bath of tahini which gives a rich creamy finish.  

Here I have recreated a dish that was cooked for me many years ago, one that I keep coming back to. It’s also ideal for when I haven’t gone grocery shopping. It uses lentils instead of meat, which are stewed in a buttery garlic tahini sauce, and is best served with a bowl of fluffy basmati rice or eaten with bread. 

Smashed lentils with tahini and red onions

Cooking time: 30 minutes
Serves 4-5, any leftovers can be stored and frozen
250g brown lentils
5 garlic cloves, crushed and peeled
4 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons of olive oil
1 and a half teaspoons of cumin
4 ripe tomatoes chopped
5 large tablespoons of tahini
3 tablespoons lemon juice
Coriander chopped
1 red onion, thinly sliced

Rinse the lentils in a strainer under a running tap. In a pan, bring to a boil just enough water for the lentils to cook in. Add the lentils and cook on medium heat for around 20 minutes until they are cooked but not mushy. Drain and put aside.

Put the butter and oil in a large pan and place on medium to high heat. When the butter melts, add the garlic and cumin, and cook for a minute. Add the tomatoes, two tablespoons of the coriander and the lentils and cook for a few minutes while stirring. 

Add the tahini, lemon juice, half a cup of water, a heaping teaspoon of salt and some fresh ground pepper. Turn down the heat to medium-low and cook gently, stirring, for a few minutes until thickened.

Using a potato masher or a large fork, mash up the lentils a bit, so that some are broken up. Taste to check if it needs more seasoning. 

Spread out the lentils on a large flat plate and scatter with the sliced onions, coriander and a generous drizzle of olive oil. 

Secrets to make this recipe work

Lentils: Make sure that you cook the lentils gently on medium heat and in just enough water to cover them, and only for enough time so that they are just tender but not mushy. Overcooking lentils with too much water is said to remove nutrients like iron.

For more updates and videos on the recipes featured, please follow @acairenecook and @madakitchen on Instagram

For a weekly playlist that complements each recipe we publish, head to Mada Masr’s Spotify account

We would also like to hear your feedback and suggestions on other cooking-related things you’d like to learn about. Please email us comments on [email protected] or [email protected].