Lentil & Vegetable Stew

By Trish Lobenfeld - Instructor of Food Science at New York University

Yield: 8 portions

  Ingredients

      3 teaspoons vegetable oil

        1/4 pound onions, peeled and diced

        1/4 pound carrots, peeled, quarter inch slices

        1/4 pound parsnips, peeled and diced

        3 ribs of celery, quarter inch slices

        4 cloves garlic, minced

        1 1/2 teaspoons mild curry paste

        3 teaspoons minced fresh ginger

        7 ounces canned whole tomatoes

        16 fluid ounces chicken stock or vegetable stock

        8 ounces lentils, clean of foreign objects and rinsed 3 times

        8 ounces zucchini, diced

        salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

  Method

Heat the vegetable oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the onions to the hot oil, lower the heat to medium, and sauté for 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Add the carrots, parsnips, celery and garlic and sauté an additional 5 minutes. Add the curry paste and ginger and cook until very aromatic, approximately 20 seconds. Next add the tomatoes, stock, lentils, and salt and pepper to the pot. Bring the stew to a rolling boil, reduce to a simmer and cook uncovered until lentils are soft, approximately 40 minutes. Then add the zucchini and simmer until the zucchini is al-dente. Taste and adjust the seasonings and serve immediately.