This lentil stew takes your taste buds on a trip around the world- turmeric and coconut milk from Asia, paprika and crushed red pepper from Central America, and basil and tomatoes from Italy. The seasonings blend beautifully into a simple stew with a complex flavor. Not only will your taste buds rejoice but so will your body. Cinnamon tops the list of foods with the most antioxidants and turmeric is regarded as the best anti-inflammatory food with garlic coming in close behind making them a powerful combination for great health. Add in tomatoes with lycopene, lentils packed with protein, fiber and phytonutrients and onions with quercetin and antimicrobial properties and you might just have one of the healthiest meals on the planet! And it tastes oh, so good served over a steaming bowl of rice!
Ingredient Prep: Dice onion into small pieces. Dice garlic, very finely. Measure all dry spices and salt except black pepper into a small bowl. Rinse lentils and sort out any bad ones.
Scoop a couple of tablespoons of the coconut milk fat off one of the cans of coconut milk. Add to a large saucepan.
Add the onion to the saucepan and cook over medium heat.
Saute, stirring occasionally, until the onions begin to turn clear, about 8 minutes.
Add garlic and dry spices to the pan. Stir. Add the coconut milk and diced tomatoes to the pot then add lentils.
Simmer over medium low heat for about 45 or until lentils are soft. (See notes below.)
Note: Lentils cook faster if salt is added at the end, but lentils have more flavor if salt is added earlier.
Note: This recipe is a great candidate for the crock pot or instant pot, but I haven't tested cooking times.
*I prefer using petite diced tomatoes.
Ingredients
Directions
Ingredient Prep: Dice onion into small pieces. Dice garlic, very finely. Measure all dry spices and salt except black pepper into a small bowl. Rinse lentils and sort out any bad ones.
Scoop a couple of tablespoons of the coconut milk fat off one of the cans of coconut milk. Add to a large saucepan.
Add the onion to the saucepan and cook over medium heat.
Saute, stirring occasionally, until the onions begin to turn clear, about 8 minutes.
Add garlic and dry spices to the pan. Stir. Add the coconut milk and diced tomatoes to the pot then add lentils.
Simmer over medium low heat for about 45 or until lentils are soft. (See notes below.)
Note: Lentils cook faster if salt is added at the end, but lentils have more flavor if salt is added earlier.
Note: This recipe is a great candidate for the crock pot or instant pot, but I haven't tested cooking times.
*I prefer using petite diced tomatoes.