Recipe: Spiced Lentils with Squash

Recipe Source: Mallos, Tess.  The Food of Morocco.  Murdoch Books, Millers Point, 2008 p. 99

I usually try to have at least one vegetarian entree on the table if I'm not sure who's coming to dinner.  My husband thinks this is silly, since we don't have (or don't know about) a lot of vegetarian friends, and for most of them vegetarianism is a choice.  We do have one friend, though, who has no choice in the matter (she can't digest meat).  What if she were to show up?  Besides, it's not as though we omnivores can't eat food without meat in it.  I'm not going to go around buying veggie burgers and pseudo-chicken patties (ick!) but there is plenty of vegetarian food out there that you'd actually want to eat - vegetarian food that is not meant to pretend to be meat.  I actually really like those kinds of dishes, and they make great sides if the vegetarians don't show up. 

This is one of those dishes.  It's really, incredibly, shockingly orange.  Orange is not my favorite color.  It is however the favorite color of my absolute favorite small child ever, Wesley, who is very sick at the moment.  Here's a really orange dish for him, then, in the hopes of a speedy recovery!

Spiced Lentils and Squash (serves 6; approx. $0.75/serving)

1 1/2 cups red lentils

3 tomatoes

1/2 peeled butternut squash, cut into chunks

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

6 garlic cloves, crushed

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon paprika

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Equipment:

• Small saucepan
• Large saucepan or saute pan with a lid

1. Put the lentils in the saucepan and add about 4 cups of water. 
2. Bring to a boil, skim the surface then simmer over low heat 20 minutes.
3. Chop the tomatoes.  (The original recipe called for them to be grated, but I didn't have time and wasn't sure I saw the point.)
4. Heat the oil in the large saucepan. 
5. Add the onion and cook over low heat until softened. 
6. Add the garlic and cook a few seconds.
7. Add the spices.  Cook 30 seconds. 
8. Add the tomato, tomato paste, salt and black pepper to taste.
9. Add the lentils and the squash. 
10. Stir well, then cover and simmer 20 minutes or until the squash is tender. 
11. Turn out into a serving bowl, sprinkle with the parsley and cilantro, and serve.