Lentil Yahniya
A thick Bulgarian lentil yahniya (stew) with carrots, garlic, and a fragrant paprika-and-savory roux.
Ingredients
- lentils400 g
- water1500 ml
- carrot1 pcs
- garlic5 cloves
- dried savory1 tbsp
- oil60 ml
- onion1 head
- wheat flour2 tbsp
- tomato puree2 tbsp
- sweet paprika1 tsp
- salt1 to taste
- black pepper (ground)1 to taste
Instructions
Sort through 400 g of lentils, rinse them in cold water, and transfer to a saucepan.
Pour in 1500 ml of water, add the carrot and garlic, and cook unsalted over low heat for 25–35 minutes, until the lentils are soft; toward the end, remove the carrot and garlic if they've cooked down unevenly.
Add the savory to the lentils and continue cooking for another 5 minutes to let it release its aroma.
For the roux, heat oil in a skillet, sauté the finely chopped onion until soft, sprinkle in the flour, and stir. Add the tomato purée and sweet paprika, and heat through for 30 seconds, taking care not to let the paprika scorch.
Pour a ladleful of the hot lentil broth into the roux, stir quickly until smooth, and pour the mixture into the saucepan.
Season with salt and pepper to taste, stir, and let the yahniya simmer over low heat for another 8–10 minutes, until the sauce has visibly thickened.
Remove from the heat, let the dish rest for 5 minutes, and serve hot.
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