Another long absence and I do apologize, dear readers. It’s due to a combination of dissertation work and a broken digital camera. But, on the upside, now that the temperatures have dropped, I can share some properly heart and belly warming recipes with you.

With Thanksgiving just past, I’m sure you’re expecting pecan pie or stuffing or mashed potatoes. We did have all that yesterday at a potluck thanksgiving with friends, but I thought I’d post something to give your eyes and palate a little break from leftover turkey and gravy. Enter, this spicy Indian inspired stew. I’d had this recipe bookmarked forever but for some reason I kept passing it by. Well, no more, because it was delicious! Earthy lentils and ground lamb make it hearty, curry paste and jalapeno give it heat, and coconut milk makes it rich and creamy. It takes a little chopping, but it still easy and quick enough for a weeknight dinner.

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We had this with warm pita bread and salad and it’s definitely a new favorite. The original recipe is from Cooking Light and can be found here, but I made a few tweaks, so I’ll post my adaptation as I prepared it below.

Indian Lamb and Lentil Stew

(adapted from Cooking Light, October 2011)

1 Tbsp olive oil

8 oz lean ground lamb

1-2 tsp red curry paste

1 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/4 tsp ground red pepper

1 1/2 cups chopped onion

3/4 cup shopped carrot

1 jalapeno pepper, chopped

5 garlic cloves, minced

1 Tbsp. tomato paste

3/4 cup dried brown or French lentils

2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1 3/4 cup light coconut milk

1 (15 oz) can whole tomatoes, roughly chopped

1/4 cup greek yogurt

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Directions:

1) Heat a large saucepan or dutch oven over medium heat. Add oil to pan and swirl to coat. Add lamb to pan, along with curry paste, cumin, salt and red pepper. Sauté 4 minutes, stirring to crumble.

2) Add onion, carrot, and jalapeno to pan, saute until onion and carrot are soft and lamb is brown, about 4 minutes. Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Stir in tomato paste and sauté 30 seconds.

3) Add lentils, sauté 30 seconds. Stir in broth, coconut milk and tomatoes. Bring to a boil.

4) Reduce heat and simmer for 40 minutes or until lentils are tender. Ladle stew into bowls, top with a dollop of yogurt and cilantro.

Bon Appétit,
K