Spiced Lentils with Pumpkin
28/06/10 10:13 Filed in: Food
Moroccan food isn't known for its vegetarian dishes,
but this one is filling and tasty and goes well with
plov
azzari, a Middle Eastern rice dish.
275 g (1.5 cups) brown lentils
2 medium size tomatoes
600 g (1lb 6oz) firm pumpkin (such as butternut)
3 tablespoons olive oil (although I prefer sesame from N African shops, not the East Asian kind)
1 onion finely chopped
3 cloves garlic (finely chopped or crushed)
half teaspoon ground cumin
half teaspoon ground turmeric
quarter teaspoon cayenne (or teaspoon of harissa)
one teaspoon paprika
3 teaspoons tomato paste
half teaspoon sugar
one tablespoon finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh coriander (cilantro) leaves
Wash and chopped the herbs.
Check the lentils and remove broken ones or small stones (not good for your teeth). Rinse them, put in a saucepan with one litre (four cups) of water. Bring to the boil, skimming the surface if necessary. Cover and simmer over a low heat for about 20 minutes.
Cut tomatoes in half crossways, remove seeds, coarsely grate them into a bowl, down to the skin, which is discarded.
Peel the pumpkin, deseed it and cut into one-inch cubes
Put the oil in a large saucepan and cook the onion until soft (not brown). Lower the heat and add the garlic. Stir in the cumin powder, turmeric and cayenne or harissa. Add the paprika and mix with the other spices. Pour in the grated tomato, tomato paste, sugar, half of the chopped herbs, salt and pepper to taste.
Pour in the cooked lentils and mix well with the tomato and spice mixture. Add the diced pumpkin. Cover the pot and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the pumpkin is soft, but not mushy.
Goes well with crusty bread, couscous, or pilav. If serving with plov azzari, prepare that before you start cooking the onions for the sauce.
2 medium size tomatoes
600 g (1lb 6oz) firm pumpkin (such as butternut)
3 tablespoons olive oil (although I prefer sesame from N African shops, not the East Asian kind)
1 onion finely chopped
3 cloves garlic (finely chopped or crushed)
half teaspoon ground cumin
half teaspoon ground turmeric
quarter teaspoon cayenne (or teaspoon of harissa)
one teaspoon paprika
3 teaspoons tomato paste
half teaspoon sugar
one tablespoon finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh coriander (cilantro) leaves
Wash and chopped the herbs.
Check the lentils and remove broken ones or small stones (not good for your teeth). Rinse them, put in a saucepan with one litre (four cups) of water. Bring to the boil, skimming the surface if necessary. Cover and simmer over a low heat for about 20 minutes.
Cut tomatoes in half crossways, remove seeds, coarsely grate them into a bowl, down to the skin, which is discarded.
Peel the pumpkin, deseed it and cut into one-inch cubes
Put the oil in a large saucepan and cook the onion until soft (not brown). Lower the heat and add the garlic. Stir in the cumin powder, turmeric and cayenne or harissa. Add the paprika and mix with the other spices. Pour in the grated tomato, tomato paste, sugar, half of the chopped herbs, salt and pepper to taste.
Pour in the cooked lentils and mix well with the tomato and spice mixture. Add the diced pumpkin. Cover the pot and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the pumpkin is soft, but not mushy.
Goes well with crusty bread, couscous, or pilav. If serving with plov azzari, prepare that before you start cooking the onions for the sauce.
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