Indian Lentil Stew

Good for a cold, fall rainy day.

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 cup chopped onion

1 1/2 teaspoons garam masala (can find on a grocery store, or google for a recipe online)

1 cup chopped plum tomatoes

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

1 teaspoon minces peeled fresh ginger

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 medium eggplant (1 #), peeled and chopped

1 cup dried lentils, sorted and rinsed

2 cups chicken or veggie broth

2 cups water

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

2 bay leaves

2 cups chopped fresh portabello mushroom caps

salt and pepper to taste

Over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil. Saute onion until softened, about 6 minutes. Add the garam masala and cook, stirring, for 1 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, turmeric, ginger, and eggplant and cook, stirring occasionally, until the eggplant is tender, about 10 minutes.

Add the lentils, broth, water, salt, and bay leaves to the pan and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir in the mushrooms and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the mushrooms are tender, about 10 minutes. Discard the bay leaves. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve hot.

Results:

Pretty darn good, but I added more garam masala for an extra kick. This is the recipe I used: http://www.ochef.com/r75.htm It was a nice, light but hearty soup to prepare oneself for the Thanksgiving onslaught. I could also conceive some leftover turkey making its way into the leftover stew....