An unexpected dish of lentils
I’ve never been a big bean fan. I would flick out all the red beans in ice-kachang*. Red bean soup is always served at birthdays or weddings or any celebration. Ewww. Do I really have to eat that? I think the grimace on my face is enough torture to everyone around me that my parents usually say they’ll eat my red bean anything, as soon as the dish arrives.
On one of our earlier dates, way back when we were both living in the States, Ben and I went out for Mexican food. Ben was so enthusiastic that I was about to taste my first Mexican meal ever. He ordered something of everything on the menu. The quesadillas were nice. I like avocados. The margaritas – well, anything alcoholic, and sipping them through straws. The Mexicans know how to party. Then there was the burrito. Hmmm, tastes good. I like the black thing. What’s that? Oh, that’s refried beans.
PAUSE.
What?
I hate beans!
But you just said you liked it. *twinkle in his eye*
Oh, the deception! How could he! Well well well, this is the end. The nerve on this boy!
10 years later, I’m still with Mr Refried Beans. And now, I have to admit: I actually quite like (some) beans. (Still can’t do red bean soup though.)
Here is a bean recipe that is our household favourite. It’s just the way we like it. Sometimes, I add diced sausages instead of bacon. For my vegetarian friends, you can leave out the meat, it tastes just as good.
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A dish of Lentils, bacon bits, spinach and yogurt
Ingredients: Heat up a saucepan. Add oil (hot, not smoking), add the bacon slices and fennel. While lentils are cooking, the yogurt, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a bowl. Once the lentils are cooked, drain the water, leaving about 1 cm of water in the saucepan. |
* Ice kachang means “red bean ice” and is a popular Singaporean dessert of shaved ice and red beans. We can find ice kachang in many hawker centres, food courts and they’re served with palm seeds, corn, agar agar, corn syrup and always with those lovely red beans.