This recipe is an adaptation of Eggplant Napoleon made by Dolly at koolkosherkitchen.wordpress.com
I wanted to make something fast, easy, and flavorful, which also included sumac.
Before blogging, I had never heard about this spice. Now, however, Raizel, my budding gourmet, loves it! She often requests recipes with sumac, and she will even suggest a recipe so that I can specifically include it. Dolly said that sumac has a lemony taste. That was how I enticed my husband to try it.
Raizel and I are also big fans of cumin.
So, I took the spice combination that Dolly used for the eggplant and substituted lentils instead. I suspect that other beans could be used too.
What is nice about the red lentils is that they break apart, and then can be used like a spread.
If you are not already acquainted with Dolly, please go and check out her wonderful blog. I am a big fan!
Eggplant Napoleon – koolkosherkitchen from https://koolkosherkitchen.wordpress.com/2016/07/31/eggplant-napoleon/?c=316#comment-316
Ingredients:
2 cups red lentils
4 cups water
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon coriander
1/4 teaspoon sumac
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
Optional: chopped fresh cilantro
Directions:
Wash and rinse lentils. Add water. Cook until tender. Add spices.
The secret is to make sure not to add too much water. I actually did, as you can see from this picture, so I needed to drain the water out before adding the spices.
Lentils cooking in the pot.
Spiced lentils, without garnish
Served with fresh herbs.
This was a hit. My husband said, “this is killer. I usually don’t even like these spices.”
I have been eating it this week, and it is delicious served with rice or on crackers. Thank you Dolly!
Enjoy!
cookingforthetimechallenged 
I make my own sumac powder since we’re lucky enough to have it growing all along behind my garden. I’m going to have to try this recipe!
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What does it look like? How great is that!
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I use staghorn sumac. I think I have pictures. Let me check.
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Please do! Somehow I never put together the spice from an actual plant. Go figure. That’s a little embarrassing.
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LOL I used to tear the trees out until I learned they were edible! You can eat the new shoots in the spring, too!
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I did not know. The wonders of blogging. I also saw a persimmon tree.
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I don’t know if Persimmons will grown in Michigan.
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No. Probably not. The person who posted about the persimmon tree lived in Australia. I guess what I meant to say is that I am learning through blogging to connect what I eat to an actual living seed, that came from the earth. It’s really an amazing.
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I’ve never heard of Sumac either! And I’ve used lots of spices. I will be trying this recipe this weekend. 🙂
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It really came out well. Now I am writing about Zucchini Tofu Napoleon.😊
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I just posted my part and linked to you. Whenever you are ready, just post yours and link to me – and we have our joint post!
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Sounds like a plan!
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Hi Carol, I know you are busy with the beginning of the school year. Are you still up for our joint project? I made and posted my regular Beet Napoleon recipe, and I save a couple of beets for our project. I decided to do mine with yellow split peas instead of lentils. If you still want to do yours with zucchini layered with red lentils, let me know, please. Otherwise, I’ll just post mine. Be well!
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Let me see what you do, because I do not quite understand. I was thinking about using tofu and the zucchini noodles. But, I can still used the lentils and zucchini noodles. So, I am up for it. I am home today because Raizel just came home from camp. Oddly, she would rather make the spring rolls, so I was about to go to your blog to check the ingredients.😊
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Raizel takes preference! No rush on napoleons. To have an idea what I will do, check out my Beets Napoleon and imagine slicing zucchini very thin, frying, baking, or roasting the slices (whichever way you think best!) and layering with your “lentils napoleon.” But take your time – let Raizel have her fun first!
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I was going to make individual servings. I will check with Raizel first, but I have the ingredients for the lentils and zucchini now. And, we need a vegan dish. My husband has to eat 1 plant based meal a day.
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It does come in individual stacks – that’s the only way it could be done. I wish you’d posted a photo of Raizel working in the kitchen! That would be precious, even if you don’t want to shoe her face.
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I have to get her to agree.
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Why don’t you do what she wants to do first, then she might be more open to other ideas.
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True. She is a teenage.
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Is it on your blog now?
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Beets Napoleon is, but the one we agreed on isn’t – waiting for you. Once you do your zucchini layered with lentils version and are ready to post it, we’ll post simultaneously, mention each other’s version, announce it as a joint post, and link to each other. Does this make sense?
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Ok. So, I will look at the beets Napoleon and try to make it tonight. I let you know through this post?? This is fun!
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Sounds great! Beets Napoleon will just give you an idea of the construction of it, so to speak. After that, you can play with your food all you want!
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Sounds like a plan. 😍
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Looks amazing!
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It was simple and easy!🌿
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I love lentils! This looked so good!
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I love lentils too. I try to take other people’s recipes and adapt them for something vegan for my husband.
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So nice!
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😊
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This looks great!
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Thank you! The seasoning came out great. I am not even bored of eating it.
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I think it does look appetizing.. Never heard of the spice sumac.. Only poison sumac 😮
Hmmmmm, where am I likely to find it ?
I’d like to try this out 👍
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I got it in my local grocery store. Shop rite. In the ethnic food section. Hmmmm. Maybe it depends on the region?
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My favorite Shop rite is in Woodbridge, N.J. , when I get thru there 😄
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I am embarrassed to tell you that I checked on line and the shop rite there doesn’t have it. I must have got it at our local kosher store. It is also available at any store which caters to Middle Eastern or South Asian communities.
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That is very helpful, thanks !
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I think I must find it hard to resist a challenge. I bought the sumac at our local store, and it was not hard to find. But, it is clearly a ethnic speciality item. Sorry.😕
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I will search for it because now I want to try it 😄
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It’s definitely available. Somehow, once you start looking for something, it always seems to appear.
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I am really excited that you have adapted my recipe and made something fabulous out of it! Now I am thinking what I can layer it on to make it look like a Napoleon. Any ideas?
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I am thinking…..vegetables? I wonder if could use frozen spinach or zucchini? Filo dough is of course awesome, but not suitable for a time challenged person. Maybe mashed potatoes with sautéed onions? Might need a bit more color? What do you think?
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I am still thinking… Something like phyllo dough, maybe very thin multi grain crackers of some sort? Zucchini should be fine, very thinly sliced and grilled or fried, but my husband is not into zucchini. How is your family about it?
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We love zucchini. Yaffa has a very limited repertoire of vegetables that she can (will??) eat. Zucchinis, carrots and beets are so far, the only ones. Maybe use a mandolin?
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I don’t own a mandoline; my husband is the best mandoline slicer! Yes, zucchini will work, and I will try it with beets – great idea! – and then we compare notes and do a joint post, how is that? Why didn’t I think of beets – I do beet napoleon all the time…
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For beets Napoleon do you slice them thin, and roast and then layer, using the spices? I am happy to do a join post. I have never done that before but I am hoping to expand my repertoire. Sounds like fun!
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No, it’s not like that, it’s sort of the other way around, but I’ll have to do a post on it – it’s hard to explain like that. I’ve never done a joint post either, but we can figure it out, I am sure!
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I’m in.
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Cool! I’ll do mine with beets, probably on Monday, after Tisha b’Av, and take pictures. Whenever you do yours, with zucchini, take pictures as well, and we’ll figure out how to put it all together. B’Hatzlocho!
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I looked up beets Napoleon and it calls for goat cheese? What about tofu?
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I am doing it totally differently, with vegenaise (you can use regular mayo as well). In Georgia, they use suluguni, or pickled cheese, but I try to stay away from dairy.
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I do too. Plus, no chemicals, dyes, additives or preservatives. I am very allergic to eggs, so I only serve them for others. These restrictions limit my repertoire so I end up cooking very basic food.
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I tend to disagree. There are quite a few dietary restrictions for me and/or for my husband, and when my younger son and his family visit, there are a lot more, due to some health conditions, yet all these boundaries only serve to elicit creativity. In fact, I can see it in your recipes, and I am sure, you can see the same in mine.
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I love your recipes! And, your posts are VERY creative!🎨
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So are yours!
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😊
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I thought of something: zucchini or carrot “noodles” sautéed with garlic salt and pepper. I am having it for lunch today. You could layer it and slightly warm it so it is more firm, but you can have the layered look that you were seeking. And, top with crumbs, if desired. What do you think?🤔
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Yes, another great idea, and you can do it, but I can’t, not in my house. However, if you layer it with noodles and bake it, it’ll be more like an Italian tortini, especially topped with crumbs. Hey, you just invented a new dish and now you have to make it and post it!
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What kind of noodles?
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The ones you mentioned, zucchini or carrot noodles.
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True confessions, what is an Italian tortini? I will have to look it up. I found some sites on Georgian recipes.😊
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Oh, tortini is just any kind of vegetables layered and baked like a cake, with grated cheese or bread crumbs on top. I am glad you found those sites, and in English!
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No cheese on top. Everyone would have to add their own. Plus, my oven is meat, not parve. But, I could make individual portions and microwave it. What do you think?
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I don’t do dairy cheese either, but there is pareve cheese substitute, and anyway, crumbs are fine. Microwaving will not give you a cake-like crust.
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Hmmm. I will have to investigate.
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Wow – I LOVE this!
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It is really good, even though it might not look too attractive. Jay even liked it, which is a big compliment.
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