Beetroot and Lentils in Paprika Sauce (Cékla és Lencse Pörkölt)

Beetroot and Lentils in Paprika Sauce (Cékla és Lencse Pörkölt)

This Beetroot and Lentils in Paprika Sauce (Cékla és Lencse Pörkölt) combines some of my favorite ingredients in my cherished stew, the Pörkölt. In the picture, I've served it with black rice, known for its robust flavor. Black rice is also referred to as forbidden rice, but for a milder taste, wholegrain rice is a great option. Be sure to add gherkins on the side, as their bitterness complements the stew's subtly sweet flavors.

You probably know how much I love lentils and enjoy them in any form. It's not just their taste; it's also their nutritional value that makes them so appealing. In my opinion, lentils are often underrated, despite being an affordable source of a wide range of nutrients.

For example, they’re packed with B vitamins, magnesium, zinc, and potassium.

Lentils are made up of more than 25% protein, which makes them an excellent meat alternative. They’re also a great source of iron, and other minerals like magnesioum and potassium.

Apart from lentils, beetroots offer numerous health benefits, such as supporting a healthy gut lining, enhancing blood flow to the brain, reducing inflammation, and being rich in antioxidants, to name a few.

Benefits of Beetroots

I used my favorite soymilk, which enhances the stew's richness, makes it creamier and, being fortified with calcium, makes it a calcium powerhouse. This stew, naturally high in fiber and protein, gains even more nutritional value with soymilk. For a lighter alternative, you can opt for oat milk or another substitute.

I encourage you to try this recipe for its health benefits and delicious flavors! It might just become a family favorite!

Ingredients Serves 4

Rice

2 tsp olive oil

1 tsp onion powder

1 cup wholegrain rice, rinsed

1 tsp salt

Stew

1/3 cup olive oil

1 onion chopped

3 tbsp sweet paprika powder

1/4 cups tomato paste

600 g beetroot, peeled and diced

100 g button mushroom, cleaned and peeled

1/2 cup lentils (soaked overnight and drained)

1.5-2 cups soy milk

salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Prepare Black or Wholegrain rice. Warm olive oil in a small pan and boil 2 cups of water in a kettle. Sauté the rice in olive oil with onion powder for a couple of minutes. Pour in 2 cups of boiling water and add salt. Cover the pan and let it cook for approximately 30 minutes over medium-low heat. Check the water in the pan; if it has been fully absorbed, the rice is done.

Warm oil and cook the chopped onion with the lid on over medium-low heat for approximately 8 minutes.

Take it off the heat and let it cool down. Mix in the paprika powder and stir well. Add 2 tablespoons of water and combine thoroughly. Turn up the heat to medium, stirring for a few minutes, then add the tomato paste. Loosen the mixture with a bit more water and cook for another five minutes.

While waiting, slice mushrooms and then stir fry it in this sauce. Once it's all covered and fried for a couple of minutes, add beetroot, lentils, salt 1 cup water and 1 cup of soy milk. Cook for 25-30 minutes until everything is tender. Check constancy after 15 minutes and if needed add more soymilk to thicken it. (My image below was taken when added very little water.)

Accompany with gherkins and choose either black rice or wholegrain rice.

Enjoy!

Beetroot and Lentils in Paprika Sauce (Cékla és Lencse Pörkölt)