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Azifa

Local name : አዚፋ

Green lentils cooled then dressed with mustard and lemon, with red onion and jalapeño, served cold.

VeganGluten-free#lentils#mustard#lemon#cold#fasting
Azifa

Photo : mlinksva · CC CC0 1.0

Prep
15 min
Cook
25 min
Total
40 min
Serves
6
Difficulty
Easy

Method

  1. Rinse the lentils and cook them in 1 litre of unsalted water for 20 to 25 minutes. They should hold their shape between your fingers.
  2. Drain and spread them on a tray to cool. A warm lentil takes up dressing poorly.
  3. Slake the mustard powder with 2 tbsp cold water and leave it for 10 minutes. Its heat develops during that rest.
  4. Whisk the mustard with the lemon juice, olive oil and salt.
  5. Toss the cold lentils with the red onion and jalapeño.
  6. Pour over the dressing, turn everything and fold in the parsley.
  7. Chill for 1 hour and serve with injera.

Mustard powder needs ten minutes in cold water for its enzymes to release the heat. Put it into hot or acidic liquid too early and that reaction stops dead. This is why the lemon comes afterwards.

Nutrition · per serving

Calories
309 kcal
Protein
15.1 g
Fat
10 g
Carbohydrate
42.4 g
Fibre
7.1 g

An estimate computed from the recipe quantities and the USDA food composition database. Real values vary with the products used.

Frequently asked questions

Which lentils work for azifa?

Ones that keep their skins and their shape, such as the green lentils used here or brown lentils. Red split lentils are hulled and collapse to purée within about ten minutes, giving a paste rather than a dish where each lentil stays distinct in the dressing.

Can I use jarred mustard instead of mustard powder?

It will do at a pinch, but the result changes. Prepared mustard already contains vinegar, which has stopped the reaction behind the sharp heat wanted here, and the dish tilts towards sourness. Use about two teaspoons of a strong mustard and cut back slightly on the lemon juice.

How long does azifa keep?

Three days in the fridge, and it holds up well: the red onion mellows and the lentils take on more of the dressing. The mustard heat, however, fades day by day. If you are making it ahead, hold the parsley back and stir it in only as you serve.

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