Cumin Lentil Dip in Endive Leaves

The flavor combination in this recipe is a bit odd. It calls for 2 teaspoons of fennel seeds and has you "break up the fennel seeds with the back of a knife." I used my molcajete to break up the fennel seeds, but in the end the flavor from the seeds was too bitter and over-powering. Perhaps this recipe could be improved by starting with a smaller amount of fennel seeds or using ground fennel seeds instead of the whole ones.

I used a prepared package of steamed lentils, as the sidebar suggests, but added the entire package, not just the 1.5 cups suggested, in order to try to cut the flavor from the fennel seeds.

In the end, this recipe was disappointing, and I do not think that I will make it again.