Recipe: Mesir Wat Lentil Stew with Zesty Yogurt

We were running low on fresh vegetables mid-week, so I took a peek in the cupboards to discover a big bag of red lentils. I had come across this Ethiopian recipe a few days before, so F and I, both lentil-lovers, decided to make it together. We enhanced the original recipe by adding a couple of carrots and we used a raw tomato rather than tomato paste. It cooks quite quickly and turned out to be tasty, healthy and filling; we served it over rice but it would be equally as good with some kind of soft naan-like bread. Upon first taste, my mouth was overwhelmed by the smoked paprika, but the zesty yogurt cut the taste and overall the dish grew on me as I continued to eat. We would definitely make this again but would probably alter the spice combination a bit, perhaps adding some cumin and toning down the paprika.

Mesir Wat Lentil Stew with Zesty Yogurt Sauce (adapted from this recipe)

Ingredients

• Stew:
  • 2 cups red lentils
  • 2 sm-med onions, diced
  • 3 tbsp butter
  • 2 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
  • 2-4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tbsp smoked paprika (I’d cut this down to a half tbsp next time)
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 1-2 tsp garam masala
  • 1 medium tomato, diced
  • 2 carrots, sliced
  • to taste: salt & pepper
• Zesty Yogurt:
  • 1 cup Greek yogurt
  • zest from 1 lemon
  • to taste: salt & pepper

carrots and spices brighten things up

Procedure

• Saute onions in butter in a big pot until they begin to get soft and brown. Add the ginger and garlic and cook for 2 more minutes.
• Add the spices, salt and pepper. Mix together, then add the carrots and tomatoes, stirring for a few minutes.
• Add the lentils and 6 cups of water. Cover the pot, bring to a boil and simmer for 20 min. (During this step, whip up the zesty yogurt and let it sit in the fridge until you are ready to eat.)
• Uncover the pot, stir, and cook without a lid for 10-15 more minutes, or until the liquid has mostly evaporated.
• Serve over rice with a dollop of zesty yogurt on top.

Enjoy!