I have to confess….this was the first time I ever poached an egg myself. Oh, I’ve cooked eggs a hundred other ways, but never poached them. I was inspired by this recipe for Spiced Lentils and Poached Eggs from Cooking Light. I am always ready for some spiced lentils, so why not put an egg on top?
I changed a few of the steps and cut out the garnish, with the goal of a simple and quick vegetarian meal. Keep in mind that red lentils get quite soft, similar to split peas. It was difficult to really drain them well. If you want lentils which have a little more bite, use the traditional brown ones. But don’t hold back on the spices here; I was actually glad I used an extra dash of cayenne. It really makes this recipe great!
To save time, you could prepare the lentils on Sunday, and then heat them up and either poach or fry a fresh egg when you get home from work. My first poached egg was fine, but the yolk wasn’t as firm as I like. While poaching eggs isn’t difficult, I think frying eggs is even easier. Either way, I’ll be making this recipe again soon.
Poached Eggs over Spiced Lentils
1 c. red lentils
1 bay leaf
3 c. water
1 T olive oil
1 large Vidalia onion, chopped finely
1 (15 oz.) can diced tomatoes, drained
2 t minced garlic
1 t curry powder
1/2 t cumin
Dash cayenne
1 T white vinegar
4 eggs
Salt and pepper
Place lentils, bay leaf, and water in a pot. Bring to a boil, and simmer covered for 15-20 minutes. Drain and discard bay leaf, set aside.
Heat olive oil in a pot. Add chopped onion, and cook on medium-low heat for 10-15 minutes, until softened. Add tomatoes, and cook for 5 minutes. Add garlic, curry powder, cumin, and cayenne, and stir well. Cook for 1 minute, then add lentils to the pot and heat through. Scoop desired amount of lentils onto each plate.
Meanwhile, fill a shallow wide pan with water and bring to a boil. Add vinegar, and reduce heat slightly until simmering. Pour each egg into a small cup, and then slide into the pan. Simmer for 3 minutes, then remove eggs with a slotted spoon and serve over lentils.
-Adapted from Cooking Light
Recipes that Fit 
My favorite eggs are poached and I have been making them for years. In no way do mine look as nice as yours and it is your first time making them….go figure.
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Lentil lover weighing in. The brown lentils are good for soup, they tend to get a little mushy. Red lentils are great for stews, they get really mushy. The lentils with the best ‘bite’ are green lentils. They tend to hold their shape well and don’t turn to mush. Having said that, any type of lentils would be great with a poached egg on top, can’t go wrong!!
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