Spiced Lentil Shakshuka

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 large brown onion, finely diced
• 4 cloves garlic cloves, finely sliced
• 1 large red capsicum, diced
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp dried chilli flakes, or to taste
• 800g tin whole peeled tomatoes, ingredients must be tomatoes only, no citric acid or salt
• 3/4 cup red lentils, rinsed well under cold water
• 1 cup water
• 8 large free-range eggs
• 1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped, to serve
• 1/2 tsp sea salt, or to taste
• 1/4 tsp black pepper, freshly ground

Method

1. Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a large, deep oven-safe frying pan or wide cast-iron pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes until softened and lightly golden.
2. Add the sliced garlic and diced capsicum. Cook for a further 4 minutes, stirring frequently, until the capsicum begins to soften.
3. Add the cumin, ground coriander, smoked paprika, and chilli flakes. Stir continuously for 1 minute to toast the spices in the oil until fragrant.
4. Pour in the tinned whole tomatoes and crush them roughly with a wooden spoon. Add the rinsed red lentils and the cup of water. Stir to combine, season with salt and black pepper, and bring to a gentle simmer.
5. Reduce heat to low, cover the pan, and cook for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are fully cooked and have thickened the sauce. The mixture should be thick enough that a spoon dragged across it holds a brief trail. Add a small splash of water if it thickens too much.
6. Preheat your oven to 180°C fan bake. Using the back of a spoon, create 8 shallow wells in the lentil and tomato mixture, spacing them evenly. Crack one egg into each well.
7. Transfer the pan to the oven and bake uncovered for 8 to 10 minutes. For soft, runny yolks remove at 8 minutes; for set yolks bake for the full 10 minutes. The whites should be fully opaque.
8. Remove from the oven and rest for 2 minutes. Scatter chopped flat-leaf parsley over the top before serving. Serve directly from the pan, portioning 2 eggs per person with a generous scoop of the lentil base.

Batch cooking tip

• Cook the full lentil base through to the end of step 5 and store it in the fridge for up to 4 days. Each morning, reheat one portion of the base in a small pan, create 2 wells, crack in 2 eggs, cover with a lid, and cook on low for 6 to 8 minutes. This gives you fresh-cooked eggs each day without reheating the whole batch with eggs already in it, which prevents the yolks from overcooking during storage and reheating.