Red Lentil Flatbread
Prep Time:
Serves
Ingredients
- 1 cup dry red lentils
- 2 cups (plus 1 cup) cool water
- 1 tsp salt
- ¼ cup chickpea flour
Created By
Prepared by Doreen Kool
Directions
These flatbreads are worth the effort! They are tasty, nutritious, and economical. They store well and come back to life when toasted. I love using them as a tortilla substitute, e.g., for making quesadillas.
- Soak lentils for a minimum of 3 hours. They can also be soaked overnight in the refrigerator.
- Use either an immersion blender, blender, or food processor to blend lentils along with the soaking water and salt. Blend very well until lentils are fine and relatively smooth. Keep in mind that the lentils will remain somewhat gritty. Avoid creating much foam.
- Create a slurry with the chickpea flour by mixing water a bit at a time. After first creating a paste, add more water to form a thick liquid (approximately ½ cup water in total). Add the chickpea slurry to the lentils and blend together.
- Check consistency of the batter and add more water if needed. The desired consistency is that of pancake batter. The batter might thicken as it sits and again, if needed, more water can be added.
- Preheat a nonstick pan (or pans, as you can easily use two at a time) at medium-high heat and brush with oil. Pour batter—less than a full ladle—into the pan, pouring with a twisting motion. Shake pan gently to distribute batter and fill the holes that form.
- Cook for a few minutes until the flatbread begins to look dry and the bottom is browned. Loosen edges with heat resistant scraper and then flip with a spatula. Cook until the second side is brown, and the flatbread is dry. Brush with oil and begin again. Note: they do not burn easily. Double task to soak and clean your batter preparation equipment.
Quesadillas: To make this meal quickly, start heating the flatbread in a pan as you chop some peppers—I usually include jalapeño. Then grate cheese and add that layer to the pan. Next add a protein: cooked and seasoned chicken or beef work well. Sometimes I use a small swirl of BBQ sauce, or a sprinkle of cayenne. A friend adds mayonnaise. Set another flatbread on top, press down, and flip. To flip, turn the quesadilla together with the pan so that it goes onto a plate. Then slide the quesadilla off the plate, back onto the pan. Cook until flatbreads are crispy, and the cheese is melted.