1.19.2011

Red Lentil Stew

This red lentil stew is a hint of Bombay House in your own home. Use pita bread in place of naan for a quick substitute.

2 T. Olive oil
5-6 cloves garlic, minced
1 inch fresh ginger, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. garam masala
2 cups red or green lentils
5 carrots, chopped
2 large potatoes, chopped
1/2 lb. spinach, chopped
Cardamom or cloves, to taste
Lemon juice, to taste
Salt and pepper, to taste

Carmalize onion, garlic, and ginger in olive oil. Add cumin and garam masala and cook for 1 minute more. Add lentils, carrots, and potatoes, and over with water. Bring to boil on high heat and then reduce to low heat when foaming. Simmer until lentils change to yellow and begin to "disintegrate". Scoop out most of the carrots and potatoes and blend briefly; put them back into pot. Add spinach and remove from heat. Season with salt, pepper and lemon juice to taste. Serve with basmati rice.

tips: add cilantro to your basmati rice as it cooks, you can also use sweet potato in place of the potato, and a handheld immersion blender works best of this recipe but is not necessary.

recipe by Naomi Green from Loaves and Fishes & other great dishes with minor changes

3 comments:

ash said...

Sounds delicious. I am assuming garam masala is a spice. I will look for it at the store. And fresh ginger, does that stuff keep for a while? I want to try this.

jo said...

garam masala is indeed a spice mix including coriander, black pepper, cumin, cardamom, and cinnamon. In a pinch, I'm assuming it can be replaced with a mixture of these.

And it's funny you ask about the ginger, because I just learned in a recent issue of Cook's Illustrated that ginger loses it's potency quickly and should therefore be used within a few days. Still I read somewhere else that you can freeze it if needed (can't remember the source, unfortunately). You can however, easily make two different ginger dishes in a row. My plan was this stew, followed by your delicious teriyaki chicken. It worked well and no ginger lost.

kel said...

oh, yes! a Brooks Bombay House. i love lentils, i love garam marsala, i love ginger. i'm sold.