Five-Spice Lentil Balls

A golden, crispy crust revealing a tender, fragrant center. The scent of toasted sesame and five-spice escapes as soon as you break the ball with a fork.

• Prep time: 20 min
• Cook time: 25 min
• Difficulty: Easy
• Calories: 322
• Protein: 18 g
• Carbs: 40 g
• Fat: 8 g

Ingredients

• 250 g Green lentil ( dry )
• 2 piece Garlic ( finely minced )
• 2 piece Spring onion, sauté/poêlé sans matière grasse ( sliced )
• 1 piece Egg ( beaten )
• 3 tbsp Corn starch
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp five spice powder
• 1 tsp Sesame oil
• 500 ml Peanut oil ( for frying )

Instructions

1. Cooking the lentils

   Cook the green lentils in three times their volume of water. They should be very tender and mash easily under finger pressure. Drain thoroughly to remove all water.

2. Preparing the filling

   Mash the lentils with a fork in a mixing bowl. Stir in finely minced garlic and green onions, five-spice powder, soy sauce, and sesame oil.

3. Binding and shaping

   Add the egg and cornstarch. Mix firmly until you get a compact dough that no longer sticks to your fingers. Form walnut-sized balls.

4. Frying

   Heat the peanut oil to 180°C. Fry the balls in small batches. The skin should turn dark brown and sound hollow when tapped with a fork. Drain on paper towels.

Chef's tips

• Do not blend the lentils; mashing them by hand with a fork preserves the texture.
• If the dough is too wet, add another tablespoon of starch: the ball must hold its shape perfectly before hitting the oil.

Storage

Store for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. To restore crispiness, reheat in a hot oven for 5 minutes; avoid the microwave.