I recently made a pot of Mexican lentil stew based on Food.com’s recipe, but of course I did a bunch of substitutions and modifications. For one thing, I used green lentils instead of red, mainly because green lentils are much cheaper and I usually have them on hand. Also, instead of cooking the lentils separately from the onions, celery, and carrots, I pureed the vegetables in water with some bouillon (note: I have an Osterizer blender that only has two speeds, so I am not sure if it is technically pureed. The veggies get obliterated into an orange-y broth base.)
Anyway, I cooked the lentils in that broth mixture added to water, plus a large can of diced tomatoes (with juice), spices and a couple of bay leaves.
The fresh cilantro and lime are added at the end and really bring on the WOW factor. This is a great meal for spring and summertime.
Mexican Lentil Stew
Ingredients
- 2 cups one package uncooked green lentils, rinsed
- 4 cups water
- 2 teaspoons bouillon
- 1-2 bay leaves
- 1 small onion
- 3 carrots
- 2-3 stalks celery
- 1 28 ounce can diced tomatoes
- 1 lime
- Fresh cilantro
- To Taste:
- Salt
- Pepper
- Cumin
- Turmeric
- Chili Powder
- Cayenne Pepper
Instructions
- In a blender, add carrots, celery, onion, bouillon and 2 cups of water and puree/liquefy.
- Pour mixture into pot, add remaining water and bay leaves and bring to a boil.
- Add lentils, cover pot, and reduce heat to low.
- Simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add diced tomatoes and juice.
- Add salt, pepper, cumin, chili powder, cayenne pepper, and turmeric to taste.
- Continue to simmer another 20-30 minutes or until the lentils become soft, stirring occasionally. If the broth becomes absorbed before the lentils reach the desired softness, add more water as needed.
- When lentils have reached desired tenderness, remove from heat and stir in fresh cilantro and lime juice to suit your taste. I used almost a whole lime because I like the tangy flavor it adds, but it may have been a little too strong for a few palettes.
- Garnish with a few more cilantro leaves before serving, and enjoy!
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