Eastern European · Lunch · Dinner
Czech Sour Lentils with Egg
Čočka na kyselo
Tender brown lentils simmered with bay leaf and allspice, then thickened and sharpened with a splash of vinegar for that classic sweet-sour Czech flavour. Topped with a fried egg and served with crunchy gherkins, it is comforting, protein-rich and budget-friendly.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 40 min
- Total
- 50 min
- Serves
- 4
Calories come from: Carbs 53% · Fat 22% · Protein 25%
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Ingredients
For 4 servings- 1 1/2 cups300 gBrown or green lentils, dry
- 5 cups1,200 gWater
- 2 leavesBay leaves
- 4 berriesAllspice berries
- 1 medium110 gOnion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves6 gGarlic, minced
- 1 tbsp14 gRapeseed (canola) oil, for the roux
- 2 tbsp16 gPlain flour
- 2 tbsp30 gWhite vinegar
- 1 tspSugar
- 1/2 tspSalt
- 1/2 tspGround black pepper
- 1 tsp5 gRapeseed (canola) oil, for the eggs
- 4 large200 gEggs
- 2 medium, sliced100 gPickled gherkins
- 2 tbsp5 gFresh parsley, chopped (optional)
Steps
- 1
Rinse the lentils in a sieve under cold water and pick out any stones.
- 2
Put the lentils, water, bay leaves and allspice in a large pot and bring to the boil.
- 3
Lower the heat and simmer, partly covered, for 25-30 minutes until the lentils are soft, adding a little more water if they look dry.
- 4
Meanwhile, heat 1 tbsp oil in a small pan over medium heat and cook the onion for 6-8 minutes until soft and golden.
- 5
Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- 6
Sprinkle the flour over the onion and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes to make a light roux.
- 7
Whisk a ladleful of hot lentil liquid into the roux until smooth.
- 8
Stir the roux mixture into the lentils and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring often, until thickened.
- 9
Remove the bay leaves and allspice berries.
- 10
Season with the vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper, then taste and adjust the sour-sweet balance with a little more vinegar or pepper rather than extra salt.
- 11
Heat 1 tsp oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium heat and fry the eggs until the whites are fully set and the yolks are cooked to your liking (firm yolks are safest).
- 12
Spoon the lentils into bowls, top each with a fried egg, scatter with parsley and serve with the sliced gherkins on the side.
Swaps, storage and make-ahead
Swaps
- For a vegan version, skip the eggs and top the lentils with pan-fried smoked tofu or crispy fried onions instead.
- For a gluten-free version, thicken the lentils with cornflour or rice flour instead of plain wheat flour, and choose gherkins labelled gluten-free.
- Use apple cider vinegar instead of white vinegar for a slightly milder, fruitier sourness.
- Swap the fried eggs for poached or boiled eggs, cooked until the yolks are firm, to skip the frying oil.
Storage
Refrigerate the lentils in an airtight container within 2 hours and eat within 3 to 4 days, reheating with a splash of water until steaming hot. The fried eggs are best cooked fresh, so store only the lentils, which can also be frozen for up to 3 months.
Make ahead
Cook and season the lentils up to 3 days ahead and keep them chilled, then reheat with a little water while you fry the eggs just before serving.
Nutrition values are for the recipe as written.
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Allergens and nutrition
Contains: GlutenEggs
Check the labels of packaged ingredients for allergens and suitability for your diet.
Full nutrition
| Per serving (498 g) | Per 100 g | |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 415 kcal | 83 kcal |
| Protein | 25.7 g | 5.2 g |
| Carbohydrates | 56 g | 11.2 g |
| of which sugars | 4.2 g | 0.8 g |
| Fiber | 9 g | 1.8 g |
| Fat | 10.5 g | 2.1 g |
| of which saturated | 2.1 g | 0.4 g |
| Sodium | 583 mg | 117 mg |
Nutrition is calculated from USDA FoodData Central data and may differ from what you cook.
