CURRIED RED LENTIL STEW WITH CARROTS AND SWEET POTATO

Curried Red Lentil Stew with Carrots and Sweet Potato image

Number Of Ingredients 15

1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 2-inch piece peeled fresh ginger, quartered
5 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
4 1/3 cups water
2 teaspoons curry powder
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 1/2 cups red lentils, picked over and rinsed
2 medium carrots, quartered length wise and chopped
1 medium sweet potato, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
3 cups chopped trimmed spinach leaves
1 cup frozen green peas (not thawed)
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper flakes

Steps:

Heat the oil in a large pot until hot, but not smoking. Then cook onion, stirring occasionally, until golden, 8 to 10 minutes. While the onion is cooking, puree ginger, garlic, and 1/3 cup water in a blender. Add puree to golden onion and cook, stirring, until water is evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add curry powder, turmeric, and cumin and cook over low heat, stirring, 1 minute. Stir in lentils, carrots, sweet potatoes, and remaining 4 cups water. Cover and place pot in preheated Sun Oven and cook for approx. 90 minutes, or until lentils have broken down into a coarse puree. Stir in spinach and peas and leave in Sun Oven, covered, until peas are tender. About 10 minutes. Just before serving, heat a small heavy skillet over moderately high heat, toast the cumin seeds and red-pepper flakes, stirring, until fragrant and a shade darker, 30 to 45 seconds (be careful not to burn spices). Stir hot spices into the stew. Serve with basmati rice.

Nutrition Facts : Nutritional Facts Serves