Indian Spiced Lentil Bean Stew

This deliciously flavorful lentil bean stew is wealthy and creamy with deep flavors from North Indian spices! It’s a simple, 1-pan 30 minute white bean stew with break up lentils that you may serve by itself or with rice, flatbread, or naan. Naturally gluten-free, soy-free, and nut-free.

I needed to create a 1-pan lentil bean stew utilizing the flavour profiles from my rara hen and Angara hen recipes. This tremendous simple and hearty stovetop recipe is tailored from my herb lentil and chickpea stew by incorporating these wonderful North Indian spices to that 1-pot format. 

It is a fast recipe after you have all the spices collectively, and additionally it is tremendous versatile. For those who don’t have each spice, it’s going to nonetheless end up completely scrumptious. Simply add extra garam masala or curry powder as an alternative. See recipe notes for alternate taste choices.

It’s also possible to use totally different beans or chickpeas on this stew. I exploit break up pink lentils, however brown lentils and petite yellow lentils work properly, too, in addition to every other quick-cooking lentils. For those who’re utilizing complete brown lentils, the cooking time will practically double, so simply be aware of that.

It is a tremendous soothing and scrumptious lentil bean stew. You’ll be able to alter the flavors to desire, like folding in some garam masala or curry powder in the long run to deepen the flavour. Mainly, simply make it your personal.

Why You’ll Love Lentil Bean Stew

• 1-pan consolation meals dinner prepared in half-hour
• wonderful taste from North Indian spices!
• versatile: combine and match beans and spices to make it your personal
• naturally gluten-free, soy-free, and nut-free with simple coconut-free and oil-free choices

Components and Substitutions

• spices – For the spice combine, you want black pepper, Kashmiri chili powder, floor cardamom, floor cinnamon, and floor cloves. It’s also possible to add floor coriander, garam masala, and/or curry powder to the spice combine, in order for you a deeper taste. For the stew, you’ll want a bay leaf, a black cardamom pod, and crushed fennel seeds.
• oil – To sauté. You’ll be able to water or broth fry for oil-free, for those who favor.
• onion – Provides umami to the lentil bean stew.
• ginger garlic paste – For extra umami and a little bit warmth.
• tomato – Use contemporary chopped tomato or canned tomato puree so as to add coloration, moisture, and much more umami.
• coconut milk – For creaminess. For a coconut-free model, use cashew milk or every other thick non-dairy milk of selection.
• break up pink lentils – Or use different quick-cooking lentils. For those who use brown lentils, the cooking time will nearly double, so simply plan accordingly.
• cooked white beans – Use your favourite white beans reminiscent of cannellini or northern. or use chickpeas.
• frozen spinach – Be sure that to thaw and drain the spinach. Or use chopped contemporary spinach
• toppings – Garnish with cilantro, lemon juice, and pepper flakes. It’s also possible to drizzle on some non-dairy cream or non-dairy yogurt, as properly.

Learn how to Make Lentil Bean Stew

In a small bowl, mix all the spice combine substances, and set this apart.

Warmth a big skillet over medium-high warmth and add the oil. As soon as the oil is sizzling, add the onion and a beneficiant pinch of salt. Combine and prepare dinner till the onions flip translucent, about 3 minutes or so.

Combine within the bay leaf, black cardamom, and crushed fennel seeds. Prepare dinner for one more 3 to 4 minutes, and add a splash of water to assist the onions prepare dinner evenly.

As soon as the onions are beginning to flip golden, add in about ¾ of your spice combine together with a splash of water to maintain the spices from burning. Prepare dinner this for 10 to fifteen seconds, cut back the warmth to medium, then combine within the ginger-garlic paste, tomato, and one other splash of water. Prepare dinner, till the tomatoes turn out to be jammy, about 3 to five minutes, stirring incessantly to the tomatoes don’t scorch.

Be sure that to press the bigger items of tomato to assist them break down. When the combination begins to go away the edges of the pan and also you see a sheen of oil on the highest, combine within the coconut milk, water or inventory, and the remaining salt.

Add the lentils and white beans, and blend these in, as properly. Partially cowl and prepare dinner for 12 to fifteen minutes, or till the lentils are cooked to desire. Verify in on the 12-minute mark, and in the event that they’re not accomplished but, cowl once more and preserve simmering.

Open the lid and fold within the spinach and prepare dinner for 1 extra minute. Style and alter the salt and taste, including extra salt, if wanted. Add a splash of lemon juice for tang, and add ¼ teaspoon or extra sugar to stability out the savoriness, if wanted.

Swap off the warmth and sprinkle the remaining spice combine on high.

Garnish with cilantro, lemon juice, pink pepper flakes, and optionally available non-dairy cream or yogurt. 

What to Serve with Lentil Bean Stew

Serve this sizzling, scrumptious stew with sourdough, garlic bread, naan, flatbread, rice, quinoa, baked potatoes, or cauliflower steaks.