Moroccan Brown Lentils

Name: Moroccan Brown Lentils
Yield: Approximately 5 to 6 kg of finished lentils
Ingredients: 3 kg Brown lentils, rinsed; 12 L to 14 L Light vegetable or chicken stock, adjust for consistency while cooking; 6 each Onions, medium, finely diced; 6 each Carrots, finely diced; 4 to 5 Celery, stalks, finely diced; 150 ml Olive oil; 12 to 15 Garlic, cloves, minced; 3 tbsp Ground cumin; 3 tbsp Ground coriander; 1.5 tbsp Ground cinnamon; 1.5 tbsp Smoked paprika; 1 tbsp Turmeric; a pinch, optional but recommended Saffron; 4 tbsp to 5 tbsp Tomato paste; 120 ml to 180 ml White grape or apple cider vinegar, to taste; to taste Salt and black pepper; a large bunch, chopped Fresh coriander; a large bunch, chopped Fresh parsley; zest of 3 to 4, and juice to finish Lemon; to finish Good olive oil

Soffritto, bloomed spice and brown lentils, cooked down until glossy.

A production recipe for thirty. The spices are bloomed, the tomato paste is cooked out, and the lentils are reduced until they are glossy rather than wet.

Written for approximately 5 to 6 kg of finished lentils · 120 to 180 g, depending on the menu

Cook this

The texture is the whole thing. Tender and intact, slightly saucy, never mushy and never dry.
Chef Paul Dukai

Ingredients

Serves

The lentil base

Brown lentils, rinsed3 kg
Light vegetable or chicken stock, adjust for consistency while cooking12 L to 14 L
Onions, medium, finely diced6 each
Carrots, finely diced6 each
Celery, stalks, finely diced4 to 5
Olive oil150 ml
Garlic, cloves, minced12 to 15

The spice mix

Ground cumin3 tbsp
Ground coriander3 tbsp
Ground cinnamon1.5 tbsp
Smoked paprika1.5 tbsp
Turmeric1 tbsp
Saffrona pinch, optional but recommended
Tomato paste4 tbsp to 5 tbsp

Seasoning and balance

White grape or apple cider vinegar, to taste120 ml to 180 ml
Salt and black pepperto taste

To finish

Fresh coriandera large bunch, chopped
Fresh parsleya large bunch, chopped
Lemonzest of 3 to 4, and juice to finish
Good olive oilto finish

Method

Production

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Sweat the onions, carrots and celery gently for 10 to 15 minutes until soft and sweet, with no colour.
Stir in the garlic and cook for a minute or two until fragrant.
Add the cumin, coriander, cinnamon, paprika, turmeric and saffron and cook for a minute to release the aromatics.
Add the tomato paste and cook it out until it deepens in colour and loses its raw acidity.
Add the rinsed lentils and enough stock to cover them by at least 3 to 5 cm. Bring to a gentle simmer.
Simmer gently for 30 to 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Skim if it needs it, and add more stock if it dries out.
Check the texture: tender, intact, slightly saucy, not dry.
Allow the excess liquid to reduce until the consistency is thick and glossy.
Season with salt and pepper, then add the vinegar gradually. Start at about 120 ml and adjust to taste.

At service

Fold in the chopped parsley and coriander just before service.
Adjust the acidity with lemon juice if it needs it.
Finish with a drizzle of olive oil for gloss.

Keeping

DUKAI storage guidance

A batch this size has to be cooled properly: cool it quickly rather than leaving it on the pass: to below 21°c within about two hours, and to 5°c or below within a further four. Then 5°C or below, and used within 3 to 4 days. Fold the herbs and lemon in at service, not before storage.

Allergens and diet

Celery.

Also in the Recipe Book

Last refined · September 2026