How to Cook Lentils: Beluga Lentil Curry

These small, pearly black lentils earned their name for their resemblance to caviar, although unfortunately they lose their striking color after they are cooked. Hearty and satisfying, their flavor benefits from the thickening power of Ginger Peanut Garlic Paste and the earthy addition of Malabar spinach. This handsome and robust plant is not a true spinach but a heat-loving, eager Asian vine that appreciates a sturdy trellis on which to grow. Harvest its succulent leaves when young and keep the flower buds pinched back to encourage vigorous growth. At the end of the growing season, you can let it go to seed, harvest the young pods for quick pickling, and garnish the dish with them. If you do not grow or cannot source Malabar spinach, substitute a common cooking leaf, such as Swiss chard or regular spinach, or the more exotic callaloo or sweet potato leaves. 

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