Lentil Stew/Soup
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
Author: Magdalena Wszelaki
Serves: 4 servings
Ingredients
- The base:
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 medium brown onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic (crushed)
- 1 tsp ginger (finely chopped)
- 1 red chili, seeds removed and finely chopped
- 1 tsp Garam Masala *
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 cup red lentils, rinsed and drained
- 2 chopped tomatoes (or 1 lemon; juice and zest if you are avoiding nightshades)
- 2 cups filtered water
- salt and pepper to taste
- Optional, to jazz up the dahl:
- 2 sheets of kombu (seaweed, super nutritious and will speed up lentil cooking time)
- 2 carrots, sliced
- 1 yellow potato, chopped (Leave out to make Thyroid-GAPS friendly)
- 1 bunch of kale / spinach / chard, chopped
- 2 tbsp of chopped cilantro (aka coriander)
How To Make
- Heat the oil in a heavy based pan and add the onion, garlic, ginger and chili.
- Sauté until the onion is golden. Add the Garam Masala, and lentils and sauté for another minute.
- Add the tomatoes and water and bring to a boil before lowering the heat.
- If you are using kombu, carrots, and/or sweet potato, add it now too.
- Cover and simmer for 40 minutes or until lentils are soft and the stew is thick.
- Take it off the heat and add turmeric at the very end (its medicinal properties are not as powerful when cooked).
- If you decide to use kale, put it in now, cover the pot and let it stand for 7 minutes; the heat of the stew will cook it.
- Sprinkle coriander.
- Serve it over brown rice or amaranth.
Notes
*Note on the garam masala: In case you can’t find it in your local store, here is how to make it. Don’t stress too much if you can’t find all spices; use what you have access too. It’s still going to be yummy.
4 tbsps coriander seeds
1 tbsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp black peppercorns
1 ½ tsps black cumin seeds (shahjeera)
1 ½ tsps dry ginger
¾ tsp black cardamom (3-4 large pods approx)
¾ tsp cloves
¾ tsp cinnamon (2 X 1” pieces)
¾ tsp crushed bay leaves
To prepare the garam masala (if you make your own):
1. Heat a heavy skillet on a medium flame and gently roast all ingredients (leave cardamom in its pods till later) except the dry ginger, till they turn a few shades darker. Stir occasionally. Do not be tempted to speed up the process by turning up the heat as the spices will burn on the outside and remain raw on the inside.
2. When the spices are roasted turn of the flame and allow them to cool.
3. Once cooled, remove the cardamom seeds from their skins and mix them back with all the other roasted spices.
4. Grind them all together, to a fine powder in a clean, dry coffee grinder.
5. Store in an air-tight container in a cool, dark place.
4 tbsps coriander seeds
1 tbsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp black peppercorns
1 ½ tsps black cumin seeds (shahjeera)
1 ½ tsps dry ginger
¾ tsp black cardamom (3-4 large pods approx)
¾ tsp cloves
¾ tsp cinnamon (2 X 1” pieces)
¾ tsp crushed bay leaves
To prepare the garam masala (if you make your own):
1. Heat a heavy skillet on a medium flame and gently roast all ingredients (leave cardamom in its pods till later) except the dry ginger, till they turn a few shades darker. Stir occasionally. Do not be tempted to speed up the process by turning up the heat as the spices will burn on the outside and remain raw on the inside.
2. When the spices are roasted turn of the flame and allow them to cool.
3. Once cooled, remove the cardamom seeds from their skins and mix them back with all the other roasted spices.
4. Grind them all together, to a fine powder in a clean, dry coffee grinder.
5. Store in an air-tight container in a cool, dark place.
Recipe by HormonesBalance.com at https://hormonesbalance.com/recipes/lentil-stewsoup/