Spicy Lentil Stew Recipes

SPICY INDIAN LENTIL STEW (DAAL)

Steps:

• Rinse the yellow lentils, red lentils, and mung beans and put them in a medium saucepan with 5 cups water, salt, turmeric, and 1 teaspoon ghee. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until lentils are easily mashed, about 30 minutes.
• Heat remaining ghee in a frying pan over medium heat. Add cumin seeds and cook until they sputter. Add onion, chile peppers, and ginger; stir-fry until onions are soft, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat and add cilantro and cayenne. Transfer mixture to lentils.
• Let mixture simmer for 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice.

SPICY LENTIL STEW

Steps:

• Pick over lentils. In a bowl soak lentils in water to cover 1 hour. Wrap cinnamon sticks and cardamom pods in a small square of cheesecloth and with kitchen string tie into a bundle. Separately chop onions and tomatoes. Wearing rubber gloves, seed and devein chile and finely chop.
• In a 4-quart kettle cook onions in oil with cheesecloth bundle over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until onions are softened. Stir in tomatoes, chile, garlic, masala, cumin, coriander seeds, and turmeric and simmer 10 minutes.
• Drain lentils in a sieve and add to onion mixture with 4 cups water. Simmer mixture, uncovered, adding more water if necessary to keep ingredients just covered with liquid, until lentils are very soft, about 40 minutes.
• Cut zucchini into 1/8-inch-thick rounds. Discard cheesecloth bundle and arrange zucchini in an even layer on top of curry. Cook curry, covered, until zucchini is tender about 10 minutes.
• Sprinkle curry with cilantro and serve over rice.
• *Available at East Indian markets and some specialty food shops.

SOUTH INDIAN SPICY LENTIL STEW

Steps:

• In a large saucepan bring the water to a boil. Add the dahl, tomatoes, okra, carrots, potatoes, tumeric, salt and tamarind paste or lemon juice. Stir and bring back to a boil. Reduce the heat slightly and cook until the dahl is tender--approximately 30 minutes; add more water if necessary.
• Meanwhile, in a heavy skillet, heat the oil and lightly fry the ground cilantro and cumin over a medium heat. Add the mustard seeds, chile and curry leaves and fry for 2 minutes, covering the skillet as the seeds pop. Add the fried spices to the cooked dahl and vegetables. Add the sambhar masala and mix well.
• The stew can be prepared up to 2 hours in advance.

SPICY-SAUSAGE AND LENTIL STEW WITH ESCAROLE SALAD

Steps:

• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large pot over medium-high. Add sausage, carrots, onion, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally and breaking up sausage into bite-size pieces, until meat is no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomato paste; cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add broth, 3 cups water, and lentils. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until lentils are tender, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, toss escarole with lemon juice and remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Top stew with escarole salad, drizzle with more oil, and serve.

SPICY RED LENTIL STEW

Steps:

• In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat.
• Saute chili pepper, onion, garlic, celery and carrots for 3-5 minutes.
• Add remaining ingredients.
• Bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat.
• Simmer uncovered for 40 minutes, or until lentils are tender.
• Season with additional spices if desired.
• Serve and Enjoy!

SPICY LENTIL TOMATO STEW

Steps:

• Optionally, you can soak the lentils in cold water before you start the prep for this. Drain them before you add them to the soup.
• Mince the onion, celery, and garlic. Peel and mince the carrot.
• Warm the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, and celery with a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring often, for 6 minutes.
• Add the garlic and cook for 1 minutes.
• Sprinkle on the spices, and stir.
• Make a space in the middle of the pot, and add the tomato paste. Mix everything together until a thick paste forms.
• Add the chopped tomatoes with their juice and stir.
• Add the chicken broth and water and stir.
• Add the lentils. Bring to a boil, then back the heat off to a simmer. Simmer for 30 - 45 minutes, stirring often.
• Remove from the heat, add the lemon juice, and puree to desired consistency. (I like it left slightly chunky.).
• Add pepper to taste.
• POSSIBLE GARNISHES:.
• Lemon zest / freshly squeezed lemon juice.
• Plain yogurt blended with salt, pepper, and chopped parsley or cilantro.

YEMISER W'ET (SPICY LENTIL STEW)

Steps:

• Rinse and cook the lentils.
• Meanwhile saute the onions and garlic in the niter kebbeh, until the onions are just translucent.
• Add the berbere, cumin, and paprika and saute for a few minutes more, stirring occasionally to prevent burning.
• Mix in the chopped tomatoes and tomato paste and simmer for another 5 to 10 minutes.
• Add 1 cup of vegetable stock or water and continue simmering.
• When the lentils are cooked, drain them and mix them into the saute.
• Add the green peas and cook for another 5 minutes.
• Add salt and black pepper to taste.
• To serve Yemiser W'et, spread layers of injera on individual plates.
• Place some yogurt or cottage cheese alongside a serving of w'et on the injera and pass more injera at the table.
• To eat, tear off pieces of injera, fold it around bits of stew, and, yes, eat it with your fingers.

SPICY LENTIL & CHICKPEA STEW

Steps:

• In a small skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion, oregano and pepper flakes; cook and stir until onion is tender, 8-10 minutes. Transfer to a 5- or 6-qt. slow cooker., Add chickpeas, lentils, olives and paprika; stir in broth and tomato sauce. Cook, covered, on low 8-10 hours, until lentils are tender. Stir in spinach. Top servings with yogurt.

SAMBAR (SPICY LENTIL AND VEGETABLE STEW)

Steps:

• Combine water, toor dal, onion, tomato, pumpkin, okra, peas, and radishes in a pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and cook until dal, pumpkin, and radishes start to soften, 30 to 40 minutes.
• Heat oil in a small pan over medium heat and add mustard seeds. Stir in garlic, red peppers, curry leaves, and sambar powder. Cook until fragrant, about 5 minutes.
• Stir seasoned oil mixture into the stew and cook until flavors combine, 25 to 30 minutes more. Stir in tamarind, salt, and red chile powder.