Here's a simple vegan recipe for whole red lentils stir-fried with ketchup & onion koji (Homemade vegan consomme). If you are a fan of omurice (オムライス / Japanese omelet rice) and ketchup, I highly recommend giving this recipe a try.
What makes this recipe special is that it's loaded with colorful summer veggies. It doesn't use any spices, so it's seasoned in a way that even kids can enjoy. You'll definitely want to use corn and carrots because they'll make the dish even sweeter. That way, the bitterness of the green peppers you add as an accent won't be as noticeable.
It's a tasty dish with a nice mix of the five basic tastes. The ketchup flavor also evokes nostalgia, which makes me love the dish so much.
If you're looking for more recipes using whole red lentils, I also recommend my Vegan Bolognese. It's also tomato-based, but cooking lentils with bay leaves give it a more sophisticated flavor.
They're both balanced nutrition-wise, with lots of vegetables and protein. Also it's easy enough for anyone to try, so give them both a try!
Jump to:
🧃Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- Vegetables: I use green beans, onions, carrots, boiled corn, and green peppers. You can omit the onions, but I would prefer that you prepare and include all of the other vegetables. Especially the green peppers and corn, which I absolutely want you to add! They go well with beans and ketchup, providing a nice contrast in flavor.
- Whole red lentils: Use cooked whole red lentils(amazon). I use a pressure cooker to boil them. Rinse 200 g of lentils thoroughly and place them in the cooker with 800 ml of water. After approximately 8 minutes of pressure building, remove the cooker from the heat. If you cook them for too long, they will lose their shape and become soupy. If you've never cooked lentils in a pressure cooker before, start with 5 minutes of pressure cooking and see how it goes. When the pressure has decreased, open the lid and check if the lentils are tender.
Seasoning
- Onion Koji: The recipe's umami component is onion koji. It Koji is a versatile, additive-free seasoning that can be used instead of consomme. I strongly advise keeping this wonderful ingredient in your refrigerator since it's useful for vegan cooking. The recipe is available here.
- Ketchup: This is the most important seasoning in the recipe. When combined with onion koji, it creates a delicious ketchup stir-fry.
- Salt: Slow-frying vegetables with salt enhances their flavor.
- Oil: Just use a bit to sauté the vegetables.
For exact amounts, please check the recipe card👇
🥢Instructions
- Preparation: First, cut the vegetables into cubes that are roughly the same size as the corn kernel.
- Stir-fry: Heat some oil in a pot, then add the chopped vegetables and a pinch of salt, stirring quickly. Afterwards, immediately cover the pot and cook over low heat for about 4 minutes. To avoid burning, occasionally open the lid and stir.
- Seasoning: After stir-frying, add the ketchup and onion koji and mix briefly.
- Add the beans: Finally, stir in the boiled lentils. Cook until the desired consistency (thickness) is achieved, then remove from heat. Serve on a plate with rice.
🍴Tools
- kitchen knife
- cutting board
- sauce pan: I like to use a saucepan with a thick bottom because it makes the stir-fry process work better. If you don't have one, no problem! You can just use your own pan.
- wooden spatula
🫙Storage
It's best to eat it right after it's made. The reason is that once it cools down, it loses its moderate thickening and tends to become dry. If you want to save it for later, just finish it with a looser thickness and put it in a food container in the fridge. If so, it's better to be eaten up within 2 to 3 days.
💭Frequently Asked Questions
In a big pot, add a lot of water and lentils and boil them until they're as firm as you like. It depends on the type of lentils, but for the Masoor Holdar I use, I always boil them for at least 20 minutes. It takes a while, so I usually use a pressure cooker, unless I really want to keep their shape.
If you like this recipe or have already made it, we'd love to hear your thoughts in the COMMENTS 🐒. Also feel free to ask any questions or leave any requests!
🍛More Vegan Rice Dish Recipes
Vegan recipes with rice:
📣Latest Vegan Recipes
Recently uploaded seasonal vegan recipes:
📖Recipe Card
Vegan Stir-fried Veggies & Whole Red Lentils with Ketchup Sauce
Equipment
- kitchen knife
- cutting board
- pot
- wooden spatula
Ingredients
Vegetables
- 60 g green pepper
- 40 g green beans
- 50 g corns (boiled)
- 30 g carrot
- 30 g onion (OK without)
Seasoning for sauteing vegetables
- 1 teaspoon oil
- salt (a pinch)
Seasoning
- 2 teaspoon onion koji
- 2 tablespoon ketchup
Beans
- 250 g whole red lentils (cooked / see NOTES)
Instructions
- Preparation: First, cut the vegetables into cubes that are roughly the same size as the corn kernel.60 g green pepper40 g green beans50 g corns30 g carrot30 g onion
- Stir-fry: Heat some oil in a pot, then add the chopped vegetables and a pinch of salt, stirring quickly. Afterwards, immediately cover the pot and cook over low heat for about 4 minutes. *To avoid burning, occasionally open the lid and stir.1 teaspoon oilsalt
- Seasoning: After stir-frying, add the ketchup and onion koji and mix briefly.2 teaspoon onion koji2 tablespoon ketchup
- Add beans: Finally, stir in the boiled lentils. Cook until the desired consistency (thickness) is achieved, then remove from heat. Serve on a plate with rice.250 g whole red lentils
Notes
- Wash 200 grams of lentils well. Then, put them in a pressure cooker with 800 milliliters of water.
- After about 5-8 minutes of pressure cooking, remove it from the heat.
* If you cook the beans for too long, they will lose their shape and turn into a mushy texture. If you've never cooked lentils in a pressure cooker before, start with 5 minutes of pressure cooking and see how it goes. - When the pressure has decreased, open the lid and check with your finger how hard the beans are. If they are still crunchy, leave the lid open and cook them until they are soft enough for your taste.
- Use about half of the cooked beans for this recipe. You can use the rest of the lentils to make dishes like Vegan Bolognese.
So, how was the recipe for Stir-fried Whole Red Lentils with Ketchup?
More recipes for whole red lentils are coming up, so stay tuned!
We'd absolutely love to see your photos of the dishes you've made with our recipes! Share them onInstagram with the hashtag #vegin_vegan_vegun or just tag us @veginveganvegun 🙏
Vegin Vegan Vegun! says
We're looking forward to your questions and comments:)