This red lentil stew is inspired by the du Puy lentil version in Josée di Stasio‘s cookbook À la di Stasio. I swapped in red lentils for the brown, mint for parsley and added red peppers, turmeric and potatoes. Stew is, after all, forgiving. You could also pressure cook it to speed things up a bit. Or slow-cook it to slow it down. But di Stasio’s secret garnish is still a winner – toasted coconut. It adds nuttiness that complements the lentils perfectly.
Red Lentil Stew with Mint
2 cups red lentils
1 tsp olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 medium carrots, diced
2 branches celery, diced
1 red pepper, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 medium potatoes, chopped
4 cups vegetable or chicken broth, or water
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp dried thyme
2 bay leaves
1/2 cup mint
2 tbsp toasted coconut, optional
Bring the lentils to a boil in a large pot with 6 cups of water. Drain, rinse and set aside.
Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large pot. Add the onions, carrots, celery, red pepper and garlic and cook gently over low heat for 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
Add the potatoes, broth, turmeric, thyme, bay leaves and lentils. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer, covered, for about 20 minutes, or until lentils are tender. Garnish with mint and toasted coconut.
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