You know that feeling when you bite into something and your brain is like, "OMG. This is so good. I cannot believe I know how to make this. I rule." Well that was exactly how I felt when I dove my toasty pita triangle into this epically golden dip and took a taste of the ginger-curry-spicy-sweet flavor in this crazy-good-for-you recipe. This Warm Ginger Curried Lentil Dip is the spicy-sweet lentil dip of my dreams. And hopefully yours as well..

Let Lentils in on the Fun. In this post I asked why peanut butter gets to have all the fun .. so I made Cashew Butter Cookies. So in this post I am asking why chickpeas get to have all the fun? This lentil dip is just as creamy-amazing as hummus dip, and packed with healthy lentil nutrients.

Lentil Nutrition. They are such a superfood legume for anyone, especially those eating a vegetarian or vegan diet. Lentils are rich in iron, fiber and vitamins and they are an excellent plant-based source of protein. This dip makes it easy to love them.

This Recipe. I am in love with this golden-colored lentil dip. The flavors: bold spicy ginger mingling with a hint of sweet maple, spicy raw garlic, nutty tahini, a hint of lemon and plenty of curry spice. A very small accent of extra virgin olive oil can be added to make the texture even more silky. I will be making this again and again! Party-approved. Or party-of-one approved 😉

Pair with pita triangles, veggie sticks, rice crackers or dollop on the top of salads or even sandwiches. Use as you would hummus, because why should chickpeas have all the fun?

Update: I made a huge veggie sandwich using this dip, avocado, tomato, onion, lettuce, it was delicious!

Warm Ginger Curried Lentil Dip

By Kathy PatalskyPublished 08/19/2014
This dreamy lentil dip is spicy and sweet and rich in nutrients like iron and fiber. The spicy curry flavor will have you swooning.

Ingredients

1 cup dry green lentils (2 cups when cooked)
2 cups water + a pinch of salt (for boiling lentils)
2 teaspoon curry powder
1 clove raw garlic
2 ½ tablespoon maple syrup, grade B
⅛ teaspoon fresh black pepper
1 ½ tablespoon tahini
⅓ - ½ cup water (for blending dip)
⅛ teaspoon pink salt + more to taste as desired
2 tablespoon lemon juice + pinch of lemon zest
¾ teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
a few pinches of smoked spanish paprika
optional: 2 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

Rinse the lentils in cool water until the bubbly foam stops appearing. Drain well.
Add the rinsed lentils and 2 cups water plus a pinch of salt to a soup pot. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. When boiling, reduce heat to low and simmer for 45 minutes until tender. Drain cooked lentils.
Add the 2 cups of cooked lentils, water, tahini, garlic, lemon juice and zest, curry powder, vinegar, maple syrup, ginger and pepper to blender. Blend from low to high until creamy yet still very thick. Add a few more splashes of water (or lemon juice) to thin out further.
Salt to taste and blend. Add more spices or sweetener too if desired. You can also blend in a teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil or coconut oil.
Serve warm with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil over top and a few pinches of smoky spanish paprika. Store in the fridge until ready to serve. (Delicious served warm or chilled!)

Yield: about 3 ⅓ cups, 10 servings ⅓ cup per servingPrep Time: 00 hrs. 10 mins. Cook time: 00 hrs. 45 mins. Total time: 55 mins.