Crispy-spicy lentil balls
vegan
Ingredients (for servings, )
| For the lentil ball base | |
|---|---|
| 4 ½ oz | Lentils (Erve, kitchen lentil), raw |
| 1 ¾ oz | Breadcrumbs (bread crumbs, bread flour, raw?, organic?) |
| For the flaxseed egg | |
| 1 tbsp, ground | Linseed, raw, organic? (golden linseed, flax) (0.25 oz) |
| 3 tbsp | Drinking water, raw (organic?) (0.61 oz) |
| For seasoning | |
| 2 cloves | Garlic (organic?) (0.21 oz) |
| 1 tbsp | Mustard (Mostert, Mostrich, raw?, organic?) (0.44 oz) |
| 1 tbsp | Yeast flakes: noble yeast, nutritional yeast, yeast powder (raw?, organic?) (0.10 oz) |
| 1 tsp | Chili flakes (raw?, organic?) (0.16 oz) |
| 1 dash | Table salt (table salt, raw?, organic?) (0.01 oz) |
| ½ tsp, ground | Black pepper (organic?, raw?) (0.04 oz) |
| For frying | |
| 2 tbsp | Rapeseed oil, refined (organic?) (0.98 oz) |
Equipment
- skillet (frying pan)
- stove
- coffee grinder, electric
- saucepan
- sieve
- Küchenwaage
Type of preparation
- cook
- fry
- chop or grind
- remove the skin
- knead
- Quellen lassen (ausquellen)
Preparation
Preparing the lenses
Bring dried brown lentils to the boil in about 3 times the amount of water and cook over a low heat for about 30 minutes. Do not add salt to the water, otherwise the cooking time will be longer.We used brown lentils, also known as "Pardina lentils". These do not require prior soaking. Cooking time is about 30 minutes.
While the lentils are cooking, proceed to step 2.
If you have lentils from the day before, start directly with step 2.Prepare additional ingredients and flaxseed egg
Weigh the breadcrumbs and put them in a bowl.
For the flaxseed egg, coarsely grind the flaxseed and mix with the water. Set aside to soak until the remaining ingredients are prepared.Peel the garlic, chop finely and add to the breadcrumbs. Also add the mustard, yeast flakes, chili flakes, salt and pepper.
Finally add the flaxseed egg.We used hot Dijon mustard.
If necessary, you can increase the amount of salt, e.g. from a pinch to ½ teaspoon per 4 servings.
shapes of the lentil balls
Drain the lentils from step 1 to remove any remaining water. Allow to cool briefly. Add the lentils to the other ingredients in the bowl and mix evenly with a fork or your hands. Form the mixture into balls.The specified amount for 4 portions is sufficient for about 25 small lentil balls.
Heat the refined rapeseed oil in a pan. Put the balls in the pan and fry them on each side over high heat until they turn a dark brown color and are crispy, turning them often.
Enjoy hot or cold as a side dish or finger food.The oil should be heated to a maximum of 180 °C. It should not start to smoke (see "Recipe notes").
|
Nutritional Information per person
Convert per 100g
|
2000 kcal | |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 239 kcal | 11.9% |
| Fat/Lipids | 8.5 g | 12.2% |
| Saturated Fats | 0.73 g | 3.7% |
| Carbohydrates (inc.dietary fiber) | 32 g | 11.9% |
| Sugars | 1.7 g | 1.9% |
| Fiber | 5.2 g | 20.9% |
| Protein/Albumin | 10.0 g | 20.0% |
| Cooking Salt (Na:127.6 mg) | 324 mg | 13.5% |
| Essential micronutrients with the highest proportions | per person | 2000 kcal | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vit | Folate, as the active form of folic acid (née vitamin B9 and | 159 µg | 80.0% |
| Vit | Thiamine (vitamin B1) | 0.62 mg | 57.0% |
| Fat | Alpha-Linolenic acid; ALA; 18:3 omega-3 | 0.94 g | 47.0% |
| Prot | Tryptophan (Trp, W) | 0.09 g | 36.0% |
| Prot | Threonine (Thr, T) | 0.34 g | 36.0% |
| Prot | Isoleucine (Ile, I) | 0.41 g | 33.0% |
| Prot | Lysine (Lys, K) | 0.60 g | 33.0% |
| Min | Manganese, Mn | 0.64 mg | 32.0% |
| Prot | Phenylalanine (Phe, F) | 0.47 g | 30.0% |
| Min | Copper, Cu | 0.29 mg | 29.0% |
Detailed Nutritional Information per Person for this Recipe
The majority of the nutritional information comes from the USDA (US Department of Agriculture). This means that the information for natural products is often incomplete or only given within broader categories, whereas in most cases products made from these have more complete information displayed.
If we take flaxseed, for example, the important essential amino acid ALA (omega-3) is only included in an overarching category whereas for flaxseed oil ALA is listed specifically. In time, we will be able to change this, but it will require a lot of work. An “i” appears behind ingredients that have been adjusted and an explanation appears when you hover over this symbol.
For Erb Muesli, the original calculations resulted in 48 % of the daily requirement of ALA — but with the correction, we see that the muesli actually covers >100 % of the necessary recommendation for the omega-3 fatty acid ALA. Our goal is to eventually be able to compare the nutritional value of our recipes with those that are used in conventional western lifestyles.
| Essential fatty acids | per person | 2000 kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Alpha-Linolenic acid; ALA; 18:3 omega-3 | 0.94 g | 47.0% |
| Linoleic acid; LA; 18:2 omega-6 | 1.7 g | 17.0% |
| Essential amino acids | per person | 2000 kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Tryptophan (Trp, W) | 0.09 g | 36.0% |
| Threonine (Thr, T) | 0.34 g | 36.0% |
| Isoleucine (Ile, I) | 0.41 g | 33.0% |
| Lysine (Lys, K) | 0.60 g | 33.0% |
| Phenylalanine (Phe, F) | 0.47 g | 30.0% |
| Valine (Val, V) | 0.48 g | 29.0% |
| Leucine (Leu, L) | 0.69 g | 28.0% |
| Methionine (Met, M) | 0.10 g | 10.0% |
| Vitamins | per person | 2000 kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Folate, as the active form of folic acid (née vitamin B9 and | 159 µg | 80.0% |
| Thiamine (vitamin B1) | 0.62 mg | 57.0% |
| Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) | 0.24 mg | 17.0% |
| Pantothenic acid (vitamin B5) | 0.84 mg | 14.0% |
| Riboflavin (vitamin B2) | 0.12 mg | 9.0% |
| Niacin (née vitamin B3) | 1.5 mg | 9.0% |
| Biotin (ex vitamin B7, H) | 3.9 µg | 8.0% |
| Vitamin K | 3.4 µg | 5.0% |
| Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) | 2.2 mg | 3.0% |
| Vitamin A, as RAE | 16 µg | 2.0% |
| Vitamin E, as a-TEs | 0.26 mg | 2.0% |
| Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin) | 0.01 µg | 1.0% |
| Essential macroelements (macronutrients) | per person | 2000 kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Phosphorus, P | 119 mg | 17.0% |
| Sodium, Na | 128 mg | 16.0% |
| Potassium, K | 278 mg | 14.0% |
| Magnesium, Mg | 29 mg | 8.0% |
| Calcium, Ca | 29 mg | 4.0% |
| Essential trace elements (micronutrients) | per person | 2000 kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Manganese, Mn | 0.64 mg | 32.0% |
| Copper, Cu | 0.29 mg | 29.0% |
| Iron, Fe | 2.5 mg | 18.0% |
| Zinc, Zn | 1.3 mg | 13.0% |
| Selenium, Se | 1.8 µg | 3.0% |
| Fluorine, F | 11 µg | < 0.1% |
| Iod, I (Jod, J) | 0.64 µg | < 0.1% |
These easy-to-prepare crispy, spicy lentil balls are a perfect replacement for traditional meatballs and are also healthy.
Serving size: The indicated amount for 4 servings is sufficient for about 25 small lentil balls.
Nutrient profile: According to GDA guidelines, one portion of this recipe covers more than ¾ of the average daily requirement of folic acid. Vitamin B1 and omega-3 fatty acids are covered by about half. The ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids is 2:1, which is well below the maximum recommended ratio of 5:1. More on this under: Vegans often eat unhealthily. Avoidable nutritional errors.
Heating during cooking results in a slight loss of nutrients. Since the nutrient profile refers to the uncooked ingredients, the values are actually slightly lower.
Lentils: Due to their high-quality proteins, lentils are a very good source of plant-based protein (not only) for vegans. The different types of lentils, which are uniformly round and flat, differ not only in size but also in color. The Pardina lentil, which we use in this dish, has a gray-brown shell and a yellow interior. It has been cultivated in northern Spain for more than 800 years. In our country, this type of lentil is also known as brown lentil. It is often confused with the plate lentils, which are similar in appearance but larger. Pardina lentils do not need to be soaked beforehand. The cooking time is 30 minutes.
Oils: Cold-pressed rapeseed oil is not suitable in this case, as cold-pressed oils can only be heated slightly, in the case of cold-pressed rapeseed oil up to a maximum of 120 °C, as otherwise harmful substances are created. See the following link: " Cold-pressed rapeseed oil ". But even refined rapeseed oil should only be heated to a maximum of 180 °C.
Yeast flakes: Normal yeast flakes, also So-called noble yeast, it consists of inactivated yeast (single-celled fungi) that is first dried and then processed into small flakes. Noble yeast is used in the kitchen for low-sodium seasoning and thickening of soups, sauces, salads and for sprinkling on savory dishes.
Seasoning: Garlic, chili flakes and mustard add a certain spiciness that may not be to everyone's taste. So season carefully and taste the mixture before frying.
Pre-cook lentils: You can pre-cook lentils and store them in the fridge for about 4 days. This shortens the total preparation time to about 15 minutes.
Serving: You can serve the lentil balls, similar to meatballs, cold or warm, as finger food or as a side dish to a dish, such as pasta or vegetable pasta with tomato sauce or with vegetables/salad.
You can also add cumin, herbs or paprika powder to the lentil balls, depending on whether you prefer a European or oriental seasoning. We opted for the classic German seasoning.
