- 1 bag brown lentils
- 1-1/2 pounds cubed boneless, skinless chicken breast
- 4 cups broth
- 4 cups water
- 1 onion
- 2 large dollops of Gourmet Gardens® minced garlic
- 1 large dollop of Gourmet Gardens® minced ginger
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon curry
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon cardamon
- 1 teaspoon coriander
- 1 teaspoon roasted cumin
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 teaspoons cracked black pepper
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
Directions:
Purée an onion into a fine mush. Place the stick of butter, onion, ginger, and garlic in a large pot. Sauté until the onion mush starts to turn brown. Add all the spices and continue to simmer until the liquid from the onions is nearly gone and the mixture starts to look more like a paste.
Add broth, water, cubed chicken, and lentils. Cover, bring to a hard boil, and then turn down to a vigorous simmer. Cook for approximately 90 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cook an additional 15 minutes to reduce down the liquid.
Myrtle's Note: I am not a spicy person, so I am very careful with hot pepper. If you like a kick, then double the cayenne. It is also my very decided opinion that lentils get better the longer they "stew" once they are cooked. So, it is my habit to freeze the lentils for a few days before starting to eat them. I freeze them in mason jars, three quarters full. By the time I get to the final jar, I am beside myself with how good they taste! Finally, as to spices. I really do vary them. You can add a bit more curry and turmeric than everything else to get one flavor or up the cinnamon and garam masala a bit to get another. My lentils come out a bit different each and every time I make them because my habit is to stand over the pot and just shake spices into it, until I believe the surface is nicely covered. This once, I went ahead and measured exact amounts because my friend Marie likes my lentils.
Yield: 6-8 servings
Everything in the pot starting to cook...
Cooked...
Cooling before going into the freezer...
