Lentil Stew With Pumpkin or Sweet Potatoes

Submitted by Kiwi Kathy

"This easy, subtly seasoned stew is an adaptation of a Moroccan recipe by Kitty Morse, from her lovely book “The Vegetarian Table: North Africa.” Whether you choose to use sweet potatoes or winter squash, you’ll be using vegetables with a great deal of vitamin A. Recipe discovered on the NY Times website."

 

• Ready In: 1hr 10mins
• Ingredients: 15
• Serves: 6

ingredients

• 1 cup brown lentils, rinsed and picked over
• 6 6 cups vegetable stock or 6 cups chicken stock
• 1 medium onion, cut in half
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 pinch saffron
• 1⁄2 teaspoon turmeric
• 20 sprigs cilantro, tied into a bunch
• salt
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 carrot, large, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch dice
• 225 225 g squash or 225 g sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch dice
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• fresh ground pepper
• 3 tablespoons parsley, chopped

directions

1. Combine the lentils, water or stock, onion, garlic cloves and bay leaf in a large soup pot or Dutch oven. Bring to a boil.
2. Rub the saffron between your fingers and add to the pot, along with the turmeric and the cilantro. Reduce the heat, add salt to taste, cover and simmer 30 minutes.
3. Remove the onion and garlic cloves from the pot, and add the remaining ingredients except the parsley. Bring back to a simmer, cover and simmer 30 minutes or until the lentils and vegetables are tender.
4. Discard the cilantro bundle, taste and adjust seasonings.
5. Just before serving, stir in the parsley.

Reviews

[umUmar]

Made this last night and we all enjoyed this. The taste is actually quiet the same as Moroccan harira. I omitted the carrot and the parsley but added extra sweet potato instead. You can also leave out the saffron if you don't have them.

 

[PaulaG]

DH paid this the highest complement by having a second helping. Made this using 1/2 chicken stock and 1/2 water while resisting the urge to add in chili flakes. Again, I failed to read directions and chopped the onion and minced the garlic, thus leaving them in the finished product. The sweet potatoes added a light sweetness. Not having fresh parsley, the soup was garnished with additional cilantro when serving. Made for Aussie Swap.