Creamy Veggie Lentil Dip

Pour the canned brown lentils in a colander and rinse them gently under cold running tap water. Let the lentils drain well for a couple of minutes

Peel and chop the yellow onion and the garlic clove. Add a splash of olive oil to a small saucepan and place it over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the chopped onion and garlic.

Stir well and cook for about 3 to 4 minutes until the onion starts to soften and become translucent. Then add the tablespoon of tomato paste.

Stir the cooked onion again. Now add the drained brown lentils (you can keep a tablespoon of them aside for garnish if you like, looks much more appetizing in the end).

Cook for another minute. Season the cooked lentils with a little pinch of pepper, salt and half of the curry powder.

Stir teh lentil again. Then take the pan off the heat and check the seasoning again. Add extra pepper, salt or curry powder to taste if necessary. Let the cooked lentils cool for a couple of minutes. Then transfer them to a clean blender.

Pulse the lentils quickly into a fine and fragrant paste. Add 2 tablespoons of cold water and a little drop of olive oil.

Pulse again. The lentil puree should be smooth but not runny at all. Check the seasoning one last time and add extra pepper, salt or curry powder to taste if necessary.

Scoop the lentil puree in a clean serving bowl. Garnish with the remaining lentils if you kept some aside. Sprinkle with a little olive oil and a last dash of freshly ground black pepper. Serve lukewarm or at room temperature.