Lentil stew – cupboard gourmet

I try to always keep some basic supplies in our cupboards: chopped tomatoes, tomato passata, coconut milk, onions, garlic, beans and lentils. 

We almost always have the ingredients to some sort of a simple meal at hand. Since we subscribed to a weekly delivery of a regional fruit and veg box we haven't been following recipes in the kitchen anyway, just spontaneously cooking with what we've gotten and what's in the pantry.

This lentil stew came about when I was waiting for A to come home from a sound engineering gig and I wanted to have dinner ready when he got home. The result was a rich and delicious stew that has become an instant classic in our household.

The stew can boil and mind its own business while you are waiting for your dinner companion to arrive or while you're watching a film – it doesn't get much more convenient than that.

Easy lentil stew

(Serves 4-6)
800ml water
200ml organic red lentils, rinsed
2-3 cloves of organic garlic, sliced
400g (1 tin) organic chopped tomatoes
1 handful of dried mushrooms (ca 100ml)
1 handful of dry sun dried tomatoes (ca 50ml)
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground pepper

Pick out any dirt and bad lentils before you rinse them. Boil the lentils in 800ml of water for 10 minutes, then add the rest of the ingredients and seasonings. Let the concoction boil down for at least a half hour so that some water evaporates and the dried ingredients soften and tastes develop. The stew can be served with or without a side dish (try bulgur, potatoes or spaghetti squash).