Ingredients

• 6 cups water
• 6 ounces dry lentils
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1 bay leaf
• 15 cumin seeds, or more to taste, ground
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

Instructions

1. Bring water to a boil in a pot. Stir lentils into water, reduce heat to low, and cook at a simmer, stirring occasionally, until the water is mostly absorbed, 25 to 25 minutes. Stir onion, garlic, paprika, bay leaf, cumin, salt, and pepper into the lentils; continue cooking until the water is fully absorbed and the lentils tender, 5 to 10 minutes more. Stir olive oil into the lentils. Remove and discard the bay leaf.