Lentil croquettes (Sarah Brown’s)

I just assembled, Playmate did the rest.  Recipe is from the “Vegetarian Kitchen” by Sarah Brown, and published by the BBC.

Ingredients:
225g red lentils
1 pint water
1 tsp oil
110 grated cheddar
2 tbsps peanut butter
50g fresh wholewheat breadcrumbs
2 tsps fresh parsley (finely chopped)
a few drops of lemon juice
1 tsp yeast extract (we use Marmite or Vegemite)
salt and pepper to taste

For coating the patties
1 egg (well beaten)
75g fresh wholewheat breadcrumbs

We omitted the parsley sauce.

Procedure:
1. In the 1 pint of water, bring the lentils to a boil and add the teaspoon of oil (S.B. said to make the lentils softer, creamier, and to prevent the water from boiling over).
2. Allow the lentils to simmer (while covered) for est. 20 minutes until they are soft, then….
3. Turn down the heat and beat the lentils thoroughly to dry the puree out slightly and make it very smooth (S.B. assures it will thicken as it cools).
4. Remove the pan from the heat and leave to cool completely, then….
5. Mix in the other ingredients and….
6. Shape the mixture into 8 croquettes.
7. Dip each croquette into the beaten egg then coat in breadcrumbs.
8. Put in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before cooking.
9. Fry the croquettes in a small amount of oil–about 5 to 7 minutes on each side (to make sure they’re cooked through, and crisp on the outside).

When I have food like this (the other is pav bhaji), I’m happy to go vegetarian all my life!