I’m participating in the 2021 Black History Virtual Potluck #BHMVP2021. A collaborative menu of recipes contributed by 40+black bloggers from around the globe in honor of Black History Month.

See a sampling of some of the amazing participant recipes at the bottom of this post!

In honor of Black History Month, I decided to whip up one my favorite African dishes, Ethiopian red lentil stew, aka, MISIR WOT!

(Photo above: Vegetarian Ethiopian Feast made by yours truly!)

Y’all, I’ve had my fair share of Misir Wot in authentic Ethiopian restaurants in Los Angeles, and when I tell you that this recipe tastes just like it came out of Merkato’s kitchen, honeeeeeeeeeey, please believe! You will NOT be disappointed.

I took my time on it….

I soaked and rinsed the red lentils until the water ran clear.

Finely chopped my red onions and tomatoes, minced the garlic. microplaned the ginger, and got everything in order. I just felt like I needed to give this dish the extra special attention it deserved. And guess what? I sure did taste like it! Whew!

Here’s a run down on what to do after you prep your ingredients:

Sweat the onions

Add the niter kibbeh

Add garlic + ginger

Stir in the red lentils and berbere (I added more nitter kibbeh here)

Add chopped tomatoes and stir

Next add in the water and stir until combined

Simmer and stir occasionally. Add in 1 more cup of water (if needed). I also added in more berbere during this step.

Simmer and stir occasionally until lentils reach a creamy stew consistency.

Finally, taste FIRST (especially of your berbere spice blend already has salt in it….then add desired amount of pink salt.

Oh and did I mention that this Misir Wot freezes well? Here’s how I did it.

First, I allowed the stew to cool then I poured it in a gallon size freezer bag after pushing out as much air out as I could.

Fold the bag over, put into a second freezer bag (you know…for extra protection), then fold that bag over.

Place in the Freezer for up to 5 months.

When ready to eat, thaw stew in refrigerator overnight. For quick method, submerge bag in a large bowl of lukewarm to room temperature water.

Aside from the love and care I put into this Ethiopian Red Lentil Stew, I credit the authentic taste to both the berbere spice mix and homemade niter kebbeh. These two items are necessary and non-negotiable when preparing authentic tasting Ethiopian cuisine at home.

Buy them pre-made:

Pre-made Berbere

Pre-made Niter Kibbeh

Check out my homemade Niter Kibbeh recipe here:

Homemade Niter Kibbeh

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More from That Green Lyfe’s Kitchen:

Vegan Red Red Stew (Spicy Ghanaian Black-Eyed Peas

Mujadara: Lebanese Lentils, Rice and Carmelized Onions

Mango Dal: Indian-Style Split Peas w/ Mango

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Authentic Misir Wot | Ethiopian Red Lentil Stew

Ethiopian Red Lentil Stew, better known as Misir wot, is one of Ethiopia’s well known entrees. Healthy, protein packed, and richly spiced, Misir Wot is a truly memorable satisfying dish.

Course Lunch/Dinner

Cuisine Ethiopian

Keyword African recipes, berbere, ethiopian recipes, lentils, vegetarian, wfpb, wot

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes

Total Time 50 minutes

Servings 4 servings

Ingredients

• 1 cup red lentils use organic if possible
• 1 medium purple onion minced
• 3 cloves garlic (minced) use 4 cloves if desired
• 1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger I used a microplane
• 1 medium fresh tomato diced
• 4 tablespoons niter kibbeh
• 2.5 – 3 cups water use more or less to achieve stew-like consistency
• 4 tablespoons berbere spice use more or less if desired
• pink salt to taste add at the end (AFTER tasting)

Instructions

• Cover lentils in water and soak them while you chop your veggies (onion, garlic, ginger, and tomato).
• Pre-heat pot to low-medium heat (do not add any oil).
• Set veggies aside then rinse lentils until water runs clear. Drain and set lentils aside.
• Sweat onions in pot. If onions begin to stick, add a little water.
• Next, add niter kibbeh (Ethiopian ghee), garlic, and ginger. Saute' for 3-5 minutes.
• Add in berbere spice, lentils, and diced tomato and mix well for 3 minutes.
• Stir in 2 cups of water (reserve remainder of water for later). Cover and simmer 20-30 min, stirring occasionally.
• Check lentils and add in more water 1/2 cup at a time ONLY IF NEEDED to reach desired stew consistency OR if the misir wot is beginning to stick to the bottom of the pot.
• Note: If you happen to use just a tad more water than necessary and your wot is a bit "soupy", cover and simmer on low heat until stew like consistency is reached. (See picture in post for reference)
• When stew consistency is reached, TASTE FIRST then assess whether salt is needed and how much.

  Note: This depends on your berbere spice mix. If you bought it pre-made, it may already have salt in it, so, the salt you add in at the end and how much is needed is based on your preference. In this recipe, I only add in approx. 2 pinches of salt).
• Serve or injera or warm brown, jasmine, or basmati rice.
• Store in refrigerator in a tightly covered container for up to 3 days.
• This recipe freezes well–up to 5 or 6 months. See post for freezer instructions and pictures.

Notes

Niter Kibbeh recipe

 

Check out more talented Black Vegan/Vegetarian Food Blogger contributions to the Black History Month Virtual Potluck of 2021! #BHMVP2021

Malawah (Somali Sweet Pancake) | A Sweet Point Of View

Spicy Okra & Corn Salsa | Beautiful Eats & Things

Sweet Potato Pop Tarts with Brown Butter Icing | Chenée Today

Buttermilk Cornbread With Southern “Sprinkles” | Erique Berry Co.

Yam and Plantain Curry | Ethically Living

Sourdough Discard Honey Rosemary Cornbread | Feed The Malik

Tropical Candied Yams | Handy Chef

Cornmeal Coo Coo Recipe | HomeMadeZagat

Sweet Potato Bundt Cake | Lenox Bakery

Sugar Coated Vanilla Peanuts | Murielle Banackissa

BBQ Lentils over Grits | Rosalynn Daniels

Cast Iron Buttermilk Biscuits | Seasoned To Taste

Smoky Sweet Potato and Tahini Stew | Supper With Michelle

Authentic Misir Wot | Ethiopian Red Lentil Stew | That Green Lyfe

Sweet Potato & Coconut Cinnamon Rolls | Vee the Baker

The post Authentic Misir Wot | Ethiopian Red Lentil Stew appeared first on That Green Lyfe.

Check the cupboards and many plant-based eaters, and I’m sure you will find these lovely staples–perhaps in a variety of colors.  But, what makes this combo so special? The plantains? The spices? Sure, but look a little closer.  I’ll give you a hint: It not just any rice…

It’s Wild Rice–Wild BLACK Rice!

Now, why the rave over Wild Rice?

Well, “Wild Rice is the original rice species. It’s starchy complexity is more digestible than Brown, Basmati, and especially White rice; All of which are mutated descendants of Wild Rice.”- Chef Ahki.

If that isn’t enough to make you want to switch over to Wild Rice, read on:

-It’s Gluten-free

-Contains up to 30 times more antioxidants than white rice

-Contains twice as much nutrients as brown rice

-Has a good source of essential minerals such as zinc, phosphorus, and folate, which provides energy and supports the bones

-Is a better alternative for diabetics as it falls lower on the glycemic index (45) when compared to white rice (70)

Ok, back to this hearty Caribbean bowl…

I decided to go with Black lentils after noticing that they don’t make me feel bloated like black beans or kidney beans.  Of course, a solution to this is to soak your dry beans or rinse canned beans.  But even then so, black lentils were still the overall better choice for me.  Feel free to use rinsed, canned black or red beans for the recipe.

If you like the taste of Caribbean-Style beans and rice, then you’ll love this healthful twist!

Enjoy!

You may also like these other lentil recipes from the blog:

Mujadara

Moroccan-Spiced Lentils & Greens

Mango Dal

If you make this Caribbean-Style Wild Rice and Black Lentil recipe, let me know how it comes out! Snap a pic of it and tag me on Instagram!

Also, join the That Green Lyfe family

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Lunch Bowl: Carribean-Style Wild Rice and Black Lentils

A combo that features classic Caribbean flavors such a coconut milk, thyme, garlic, bayleaf (ingredients often used Carribean-style rice and beans). Accompanied with plantains and brussel sprouts, this bowl makes for a satisfying lunch or dinner!

Cuisine Caribbean, Vegan

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

Servings 4 people

Ingredients

Wild Rice

• 2 cups dry wild rice or black rice
• 4 cups water
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 bay leaves

Black Lentils

• 2 cups Black Lentils
• 1 can coconut milk (plain, unsweetened) 13 oz (or replace with 1 3/4 cups water)
• 2 cups water or use veggie stock
• 1 teaspoon thyme
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 medium purple onion
• 2-3 cloves garlic
• 2 teaspoons creole seasoning I used Tony Chachares' Original Creole Seasoning
• 1 tablespoon oil I used coconut oil

Plantains

• 2-3 large plantains chopped in 1/4 inch thick pieces
• 2-3 tablespoons coconut oil

Brussel Sprouts

• 10 large brussel sprouts cut in fours; if using medium or small size, cut in half
• 2 tablespoons water
• dulse granules or salt to taste
• black pepper to taste

Instructions

Wild Rice

• Cook rice according to package instructions. (Add in bay leaves and salt prior to cooking) When rice is done, fluff with fork and discard bay leaves.

Lentils

• Heat oil in large pot (medium heat) and sauté onion until translucent. Next stir in garlic and sauté for 2 minutes.
• Next, stir in lentils, water, coconut milk, and spices. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until lentils are tender. Taste and adjust spices to your liking.

Plantains

• Heat coconut oil (medium heat). Add half of the plantains and cook both sides until golden brown or desired color is reach. Remove from pan and set on a few paper towels to absorb excess oil. Repeat with other half of plantains.

Brussel Sprouts

• In the same heated pan (used for the plantains), add Brussel sprouts and toss around in excess oil left over from plantains.
• Let sprouts sit in pan until brown on one or both sides, then add water and cover to steam for 3 minutes. Add spices to taste and remove from pan.
• Assemble your bowl and enjoy.

The post Lunch Bowl: Caribbean-Style Wild Rice and Black Lentils appeared first on That Green Lyfe.

What exactly is Mujadara?

Mujadara is a simple Lebanese dish made up of a lentil and rice pilaf. It is topped with sweet caramelized onions and is often served with yogurt.

For this recipe, I topped the lentils and rice with vegan sour cream, next was the caramelized onions, then came a garnish of cilantro and toasted pine nuts, and finally, a dash of lemon juice. The sour cream, pine nuts, cilantro, and lemon juice are totally optional, but in my opinion, they give these Lebanese lentils some extra tasty oomph! I mean, come on….extra oomph is always good right?!

I only used 2 main spices for this Lebanese lentils: cinnamon and cumin–they make such a lovely combination. My tastes buds really favor these two spices together.  I feel like I always add the both of them to my lentils even when I’m just “throwing things together” in a pot in hopes of a delicious outcome.

Now, let’s talk about these caramelized onions! It would be absolutely illegal if caramelized onions were not featured in this dish.  They are soooo so so necessary.  The key thing caramelized onions is that it’s a slow process to get them to the level of sweetness necessary for this dish.  It took about 20-25 minutes to caramelize and slightly crisp my onions.  I look at the pictures of the dish now and realize that I could have left them in the pan about 10 minutes longer to get even more yummy but my tummy ran out of patience, hehe.

Gosh, I don’t think I’ll ever stop experimenting with different flavor combinations of lentils and rice.  The thing that I love about lentils is that you can cook them in bulk.  Make a few different meals out of them just by changing the spices up a little.  I’ll never grow tired of lentils.  Can’t you tell?!

After you try this recipe, check out some of my other lentil dishes:

Authentic Misir Wot| Ethiopian Red Lentil Stew

Moroccan-Spiced Lentils and Greens 

Red Lentil Curry and Spiced Eggplant Slices

Mango Dal

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Mujadara: Lebanese Lentils, Rice, and Caramelized Onions

Warm notes of cinnamon & cumin, along with caramelized onions give these Lebanese lentils just what they need to fall over the edge of unique deliciousness! Here's to another simple lentil dish to add to your list of yummy favorites!

Course Main Dish

Cuisine Lebanese, Middle-Eastern, Vegan

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Servings 4 people

Ingredients

• 1 cup green lentils or use brown
• 2 teaspoons olive oil or use other vegetable oil
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/4-1/3 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 pinch coriander
• 1/4-1/3 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 large thinly sliced red onion
• salt to taste
• 1/2 cup cooked brown or basmati rice
• 1 tablespoon toasted pine nuts optional
• 1 squeeze lemon juice optional
• vegan sour cream optional
• cilantro for garnish optional

Instructions

• Pour lentils into a medium-sized saucepan. Next cover them by an inch of cold water. Bring lentils to a bowl then turn heat down to simmer. Next fold in cumin, salt, pepper, cinnamon, and coriander. Cook until lentils are tender.
• Meanwhile as lentils are cooking, heat oil in medium sized pan and add thinly sliced onions along with a dash of salt. Stir to coat onions. Caramelization should take about 20-25 minutes (see pictures in post for example).
• Note: Stir often to prevent onions from sticking to pan. If onions begin to stick, add a dash of water. When caramelization/crisping process is complete, remove onions from pan and set aside on a paper towel covered plate.
• When lentils are done cooking, fold in cooked rice. Taste and if needed, adjust salt and other spices until desire flavor is reached.
• Now begin plating your layers. Scoop lentils and rice into a bowl and top with (optional) vegan sour cream. Next comes the caramelized onions. You can stop here or keep the flavor going by adding the toasted pine nuts, cilantro, and a nice squeeze of lemon juice.

If you make this “Lebanese Lentils, Rice, and Caramelized Onions” recipe, let me know how it turns out!  Rate it, leave a comment below and share a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #veganfitcarter

Oh, and join the family! “Like”/Follow our That Green Lyfe Facebook Page!

The post Mujadara: Lebanese Lentils, Rice, and Caramelized Onions appeared first on That Green Lyfe.

My spice cabinet is stocked with over 80 different herbs and spices….I know.  It would practically be illegal for me to NOT experiment with different spice blends.  With a main ingredient like lentils, the flavor combination possibilities are endless!

The spice profile of choice for these lentils was Moroccan! Let’s take a look at some common spices essential for Moroccan cooking:

FYI- 10 Popular Spices Used in Moroccan cooking:

Saffron, Cayenne, Cumin, Coriander, Turmeric, Black Pepper , Anise, Paprika, Ginger, and Cinnamon.

Ok, back to the lentils. This dish took me only about 30 minutes to make–and the majority of that time was spent waiting for the lentils to cook.  I ended up pairing it with some leftover brown rice I had in the fridge, however, these lentils are delicious eaten alone or even with flatbread.

You guys, these Moroccan spiced lentils are super good. All of the flavors blend so well together! This recipe will definitely be a repeat offender in your kitchen.  I literally ate this dish for breakfast, lunch, and dinner for 2 days in a row!….2 days! Give these lentils a try guys.  Your tastebuds are due for an exotic journey!

Speaking of exotic journey, here’s another lentil recipe from the blog:

Red Lentil Curry with Spiced Eggplant

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Moroccan Spiced Lentils & Greens

These Moroccan spiced lentils just might become one of  your favorite lentil dishes!  Aromatic spices and wilted greens make these beluga lentils stand out from the rest!

Course Main Dish

Cuisine African

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 25 minutes

Servings 6 people

Ingredients

• 1 cup lentils (green or black) I used black lentils
• 3 cups water
• 1 medium chopped onion
• 2 cloves garlic (minced)
• 1 bay leaf
• 1-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil or coconut oil
• 1.5 teaspoons cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon allspice
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 3-4 cups chopped kale (any greens will do)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

Instructions

• Rinse lentils and set aside. Next, saute onion in oil on low heat until translucent and golden.  Add garlic and saute for another minute, or until fragrant.
• Add spices and cook for about 30 seconds then stir in drained lentils.
• Add the 3 cups of water in and turn heat up to high.  Stir up in bay leaf and cinnamon stick.  Bring to a boil then turn heat down to low and cover. Let simmer for about 20 minutes.     
• Add greens and cook covered for another 5 minutes, or until most of the water is absorbed.  Remove cinnamon stick and bay leaves, and serve warm.  
• Taste. Adjust spices and/or salt to taste.

If you make this Moroccan Spiced Lentils and Greens recipe, let me know how it turns out!  Rate it, leave a comment below and share a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #veganfitcarter

Oh, and like Vegan Fit Carter on Facebook!  Join the family!

The post Moroccan Spiced Lentils & Greens appeared first on That Green Lyfe.

By now, can you totally tell that I have a thing for Indian cuisine?  My first Indian style dish I’ve ever made was at the start of my vegan journey 3 years ago.  It was spinach curry with brown rice.  It was delicious, however, not what I was expecting as I compared it to the spinach curry I’ve eaten at restaurants before.   I cooked I again and again until my heart was content with the flavor.

Speaking of restaurants, my first Indian restaurant experience was about 7 years ago. It was an all you can eat buffet here in Long Beach, CA.  I filled up on different types of biryanis, an assortment of naan bread, curried lentils, masala, samosas, gulab jamun, you name it, I ate it! OMG let me tell you…I ate soooo much–in fact–I don’t even think I was hungry the next day! I fell in love with the assortment of spices used in the dishes.  So in love that I currently keep a myriad of spices in my pantry to cater to my Indian cuisine habit.  In fact, my taste buds crave an Indian-Style dish at least once a week.  And this Mango Dal was this week’s chosen dish.

With all of my Indian food experience, I can’t believe I’ve never ran into Mango Dal before! I saw the dish featured in a youtube video and began to do research on how to create such a tasty looking masterpiece in my own kitchen.  And tasty it was!  It was the perfect combo of subtly sweet, savory, spicy, and “WOW!” I paired it with coconut rice and used cilantro as a garnish.

This recipe is super easy to make and amazingly tasty!  You have the option to use other veggies or fruits like apples or squash. You can even use red lentils (shorter cook time) or chickpeas (longer cooking time).

More Indian-Style recipes here on the blog:

Spaghetti with Spicy Tomato Sauce

Red Lentil Curry and Spiced Eggplant

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Mango Dal: Indian Style Split Peas with Mango

Mango Dal: Indian-spiced split pea dal with mango.  This interesting variation to your everyday lentil dish is colorful, flavorful, subtly sweet, savory, and hearty.  Gluten-free, soy-free. Use other lentils for variation. Can easily be doubled or halved.

Course Main Dish

Cuisine Indian

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 50 minutes

Total Time 55 minutes

Servings 6 people

Ingredients

• 1.25 cups yellow split peas
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon tumeric
• 2 tablespoon coconut oil or canola oil
• 2 teaspoons cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds or 1.5 teaspoons mustard seed powder
• 4 cloves garlic (minced)
• 1 medium onion (chopped) or 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 2 teaspoons red chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon coriander powder
• 1/4 teaspoon ginger powder
• 1/4 teaspoon curry powder
• 1.5 cups diced tomatoes can use canned tomatoes
• 4 teaspoons diced green chiles I used canned
• 2 mangos peeled and diced
• 1 tablespoon vegan butter
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro finely chopped

Instructions

• Rinse and drain split peas until the water runs clear. Combine split peas, 4 cups water, salt, and turmeric in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, partially cover and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 20-35 minutes or until split peas are soft.
• Meanwhile, heat oil in another pan (medium heat). Add cumin seeds and mustard seeds. Saute for about 20 seconds.
• Add onion and cook until softened. Add garlic and continue to cook (about 2 minutes). Add remainder of spices and cook for an additional 2 minutes.
• Stir in tomatoes and green chilies to spice mixture and cook for an additional 3 minutes. Pour this mixture over the boiled split peas and stir until combined.
• Stir in chopped mangos and bring pot to a boil (adding more water if lentils are too thick). Turn heat down to simmer for an additional 10-15 minutes more or until it reaches desired consistency.
• Stir in vegan butter and cilantro. Taste. Add more salt if needed and adjust spices to your liking if needed. You can even spice blends like garam masala for more flavor! Served with rice, veggies, or flatbread.

Notes

Both ripe and under-ripe mango will work: less-ripe mango imparts a tart flavor and holds its shape, while riper mango breaks down more during cooking and gives the dish a sweeter taste.

The post Mango Dal: Indian Style Split Peas with Mango appeared first on That Green Lyfe.

This picture was merely supposed to go down in history as a snapshot of my dinner last week. I posted it to Facebook and Instagram and ended up getting a ton of “likes” and requests for the recipe.  I suppose an unplanned recipe post won’t hurt

The inspiration for this dish came in the form of guilt from realizing that I filled up on nothing but quick wraps, smoothies, and snacks the previous week. My body was craving a REAL meal–something that involved a stove-top, ingredients packed with nutrition, and lots of color.  I let my intuition guide me around my kitchen and pantry.  The outcome? I grabbed the most colorful combination of ingredients I could find: black rice, eggplant, and red lentils. These items screamed “lentil curry”.  Hmmm, I wonder what my body was telling me about my choice of colorful ingredients.  Let’s dive into some nutrition facts about the star players in this dish:

5 Health Benefits of Black Rice:

• Rich source of antioxidants
• Higher amount of protein (8.5 grams per 100 gram serving) than brown, red, and white rice
• Assists liver in detoxification
• High in fiber (5 grams per 100 gram serving)
• Contains anti-cancer effects

5 Health Benefits of Eggplant:

• Improves blood circulation (must be eaten with the skin for this health benefit)
• Nourishes the brain (must be eaten with the skin for this health benefit)
• Low in calories; contains no fat; high fiber content can help you feel full
• Helps prevent blood clots thanks to vitamin ‘k
• High in bioflavonoids which are known to control blood pressure and relieve stress

5 Health Benefits of Lentils:

• Helps reduce blood cholesterol due to high levels of fiber
• Improves heart health
• Stabilizes blood sugar due to high fiber content
• Good form of protein
• Increases energy levels thanks to fiber and iron content

Okay, let’s get cooking!

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Dinner Idea: Red Lentil Curry & Spiced Eggplant Slices

Creamy red lentil curry and Indian-spiced eggplant slices on a bed of black rice, makes for a colorful, flavorful, and satisfying lunch or dinner.

Cuisine Indian

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 55 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes

Servings 4 servings

Ingredients

For the Black Rice

• 1 cup water
• 3/4 cup coconut milk (use of coconut milk is optional) if desired, use 1 3/4 cups water
• 1 cup black rice
• 1/8 teaspoon salt

For the Lentils

• 1 cup red lentils
• 2 cups hot water
• 2 cups low sodium veggie broth
• 1 tablespoon vegan butter
• 1/2 medium onion or 1/2 tablespoon of onion powder
• 2 cloves garlic finely minced
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger root finely minced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon yellow curry powder
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon coriander powder
• 1/2 teaspoon tumeric powder
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro finely chopped

For the eggplant

• 1 eggplant
• 4 tablespoons coriander powder
• 1/2 tablespoon cumin
• 1/2 tablespoon chili
• 1/2 tablespoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon ginger paste or 1/8 teaspoon powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic paste or 1/8 teaspoon powder
• 1/4 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1/2 tablespoon garam masala
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/4-1/2 cup oil
• 1 tablespoon water

Instructions

To make the black Rice

• In a medium saucepan, bring 1 cup of water + 3/4 cup of coconut milk + 1 cup of rice to a boil.
• Cover with a tight-fitting lid, reduce heat to low simmer, and cook for 45 minutes. Be on the look out for overflow and you may want to stir occasionally.
• Remove from heat (with lid on) and let steam for 10 minutes.
• Fluff with a fork.
• If using rice cooker, add the same water/coconut milk to rice ratio. If rice is crunchy at the end of cooking, it may be necessary to add 1-2 tablespoons of liquid and cook a little longer.

To make the lentils

• In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add chopped onions and salt. Saute for about 5 minutes or until soft. Add garlic and saute for about 30 seconds or until fragrant.
• Add remaining spices and stir. Saute for about 1 minute. If spices begin to stick, add 1/4 cup of water and stir. Add lentils and stir to coat with butter, onion and spice mixture. Add broth and water and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce to simmer.
• Cover and reduce to simmer. Simmer for about 20-22 minutes. Stir occasionally.
• Turn off heat. Stir in fresh chopped cilantro and save a little for garnish.

To make the eggplant

• Cut eggplant into thin slices (about 1/4 of an inch) and make 2-3 slits on each slice.
• Mix all other ingredients except the oil and water.
• To the spice mixture, add 1 tablespoon water to form a paste.
• Apply a thin layer spice paste to eggplant slices.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a skillet. Add a single layer of eggplant slices and cook each side until golden (see main picture). You may want to taste 1 slice to assure seasonings are to your liking. If not, adjust according to your preference.
• Repeat previous step with the remaining slices.

To Assemble

• Scoop desired amount of rice into a shallow bowl. Add lentils. Top with a layer of 3-4 eggplant slices. Garnish with cilantro. Enjoy!

Did you make this Red Lentil Curry & Spiced Eggplant recipe? Let me know how it turned out!  Rate it, leave a comment below and share a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #veganfitcarter

The post Dinner Idea: Red Lentil Curry & Spiced Eggplant Slices appeared first on That Green Lyfe.