As the weather cools down and the days get shorter, I’m all about comfort food. And for me, this isn’t only about homely, hearty nourishment, it’s also about more simplicity, less fiddle. This grounding, earthy lentil stew requires only one pot, and it’s brimming with flavour. Serve it on its own, with mashed potatoes, on rice…or as my teenager likes to do, stuff it into a toasted sandwich for breakfast!
If you’ve only got tinned lentils, no problem! You’ll need 2 cups of drained, rinsed cooked lentils, and you’ll also need to reduce the water down to 2 cups.
Also, if you have no lime, swap to lemon!
2 tsp cumin seeds
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, diced
3-4 cloves garlic, sliced
1 heaped Tbsp freshly grated ginger (or 2 flat Tbsp!)
½ – 1 fresh red chilli, sliced *
1 Tbsp ground cumin
1 Tbsp ground coriander
1 Tbsp coriander stalks, chopped
2 tsp salt
2 medium potatoes, diced
1 x 400g tin of chopped tomatoes, juice & all
1 cup brown or puy lentils, raw/uncooked (or 2 cups tinned lentils, drained & rinsed)
3 cups water (reduce to 2 cups if using precooked lentils, as above)
4 Tbsp fresh lime juice (or a mix of lemon/lime, or just lemon)
2 Tbsp coriander leaves, chopped, to serve
extra salt & pepper to taste
* chillies can really vary in heat, right? I find only half gives me the kick I need, but feel free to taste-test & add more if needed. No fresh chilli? Try ¼ tsp cayenne pepper instead.
Find a good big pot with a lid (it doesn’t need to go into the oven, just on the stove-top) Don’t put any oil in it yet, but put it on a medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and let them dry-toast for a minute or so until lightly fragrant but preferably not burnt.
Now add the oil, onion and garlic. Cook over a medium heat, stirring often, until translucent. Add the ginger, chilli, ground spices and coriander stalks, mixing well.
After a minute, add the salt, potatoes, tomatoes & their juice, lentils and water. Stir everything well and crank up the heat. Once it starts to simmer, lower the heat right down and pop the lid on. Allow to cook for around 30 minutes, checking and stirring every so often. The aim is for the lentils to be cooked and well softened. This can vary depending on the kind of lentil (puy tend to take a bit longer but hold their shape well) and also the age of the lentil – if they’ve been hanging in the pantry or the store for a while, they might be a bit elderly and need more time in the pot.
When you’re ready to serve, add the lime/lemon juice, have a quick taste-test and adjust seasonings if necessary.
This will store in your fridge for about 3 days, it also freezes well.
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