Lentil Stew

This recipe was adapted from Jane Brody's Good Food Gourmet...an excellent cookbook

Lentil and potato stew:

I always double this so that we have leftovers....

1 cup lentils(I use the bigger greenish brown lentil readily available anywhere)
4 cups water
1 tsp salt optional altho I always add this
1 bay leaf
1tablespoon butter or margarine I use butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
2-3 large potatoes (the potatoes make this dish I use the larger amt )
1 tsp turmeric (always wear black or old clothes when cooking with turmeric)
1/4 tsp cayenne
salt to taste
fresh ground pepper
2 large ripe tomatoes or 2 cans diced tomatoes( I use Muir Glen diced the big can when I double)I always use canned quicker and easy
2 tsp garam masala (I use pataks curry paste in a jar see picture)avail in the Thai and Indian sections of most grocery stores)
1 tsp sugar or honey(I don't do this)
water if necessary

1. in a med sauce pan add lentils and water and bay leaf bring to a boil cook till lentils are just tender.Do not drain lentils set aside while doing potatoes and discard bay leaf.

2.In a dutch oven add oil and and butter heat briefly,add potatoes and sprinkle with the turmeric,cayenne,salt and pepper, cook potatoes tossing them over med heat for aprox 5 mins.

3. add tomatoes the reserved lentils and the water they were cooked in.Add the garam masala or the pataks curry paste I use 2 heaping teaspoons of the paste for 1 batch).

4. cook stew 10-15 mins till potatoes are just tender stirring from time to time and adding addl water if stew seems dry.

my entire family loves this dish and it takes just over 30 mins to make ,I usually start the lentils peel and chop the potatoes while the lentils cook, heat the oil pop the potatoes in add spice stir cooking for 5-7 mins just to coat pot and start them cooking, add tomatoes, lentils and water and cook 10-15 mins till pot are just tender i then turn it off let it sit and chk that the potatoes are done and you are good to go.

serve with pitas or baguettes, sometimes I make poppadoms or naan depending on time, if you need greens add a salad we find the stew to be pretty hearty and filling served with bread. Enjoy!