In this house we love hummus. It is such a nice and easy dip to serve with veggies and pita. When we go out to eat we like to get a hummus platter as an appetizer when it is available. Not that we need to quiet the boys with food before the meal comes or anything!
While hummus is traditionally made with chick peas, you can use just about any bean. Once again the joy in making your own is being able to experiment with flavors and which bean you use. There are plenty of varieties of hummus available in the store, however, the vast majority are made with chick peas. It is always fun to experiment with different flavors.
This time I chose to use red lentils. They cook easily and quickly which is always good for me. Red lentils also make a smooth and creamy hummus. What better flavor combination to use with lentils than to go curry?! I made this hummus a little on the thick side, if you like it more liquid/less firm go ahead and thin it with olive oil. I think it would also be great if thinned with some lite coconut milk, plus it wouldn’t add any fat. Enjoy!
Red Lentil Curry Hummus
1 c. dried red lentils
2 c. water
1 Tbs. tahini
2 tsp. curry paste
1 tsp. lemongrass paste (fresh if you have it…boy do I miss my garden this time of year)
1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
Boil the water in a small pan and add the lentils. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes or until all the water is absorbed. Put the cooked lentils and all other ingredients in the food processor. Process until smooth and creamy. Add olive oil, vegetable stock or coconut milk to thin the consistency if desired. Serve with vegetables, pita chips, naan, whatever you like.
Yields 2 1/4 cups
Feeding My 3 Sons 
I have never imagined I could make hummus with lentils. This is new to me. The addition of Tahini is a great idea. I can smell it from here…right now, and of course addition of curry paste and lemon and lemon grass gives it a wonderful zing. And by the way, the photos are awesome. I love the blend of orange and green colours. Thanks so much for sharing. I’ll certainly try to make it one of these fine days. Enjoy the rest of the week,
Thank you for the compliments on the photos. I recently bought those bowls and have so enjoyed using them. They are great for dips and the perfect size for the kids…soup, cereal, ice cream. It is nice to have something other than white all the time in food blog photos! The lentils work really well in hummus.
I have an Ikea cupboard full of odds and ends from the thrift store that I use for photography. I buy a bowl here, a plate there, an odd cup etc but this really helps in making the blog look versatile. Have a lovely weekend!
What brilliant flavors you’ve put together. Like making a hummus from lentils. And coconut milk? Intriguing! Love fresh lemongrass. Always have it on hand so I can boil it for tea. How would I go about making a “paste”? Thanks for such a lovely recipe.
The paste is the stuff you buy in a tube in the produce department when you can’t find fresh herbs! Not quite the same as fresh but pretty darn close. Can’t wait to get my garden going and have my own fresh herbs again, so much easier than hunting them down in the store.