Recipe: Lentil Alecha (Ethiopian stew)

[sonia]

This is adapted from Split Pea Alecha by Valerie Mates. I like lentils better than split peas, but it works with either one. I changed it to make a somewhat smaller amount of food (but still enough for several days), and upped some of the spices. Yummy and quick.

Ingredients
2 cups lentils, rinsed
5 cups water, or the right amount for your lentils
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoons salt
1/3 cup olive oil
2 slices (1/4 inch) fresh ginger, chopped finely
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom (or 2 pods, crushed)
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves (or 1 clove, crushed)
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
a pinch of nutmeg


Time
5 minutes prep, 30-45 min cooking time depending on your lentils/other legumes.

Tools
Large soup pot

Methods

1. Put the lentils into a big pot, with water. Sprinkle with the turmeric. Check the package from the lentils for how much water to use, or use 5 cups and add more if it gets too thick.
   
2. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat.
   
3. Simmer until the liquid has been mostly absorbed and the stew is starting to look thickened. Stir occasionally and check if it needs more water.
   
4. The amount of time that this takes varies widely depending on the variety of lentils and how long ago they were harvested (older will be drier and take longer).
   
5. Stir in the rest of the spices and the oil.
   

Serving
Traditionally served over injera and scooped up with more injera. Here's Valerie's recipe for crepes (use teff flour). I tried hers and another one with teff flour and got injera crumbles rather than a whole flatbread because it stuck to the pan. Still tasty though!

Can be served in a bowl and eaten with spoon or fork, optionally with stir-fry over it.

Storage
Keeps for at least a week in the fridge.

Notes
A lot of Valerie's recipes are gluten-free, dairy-free, and quick to make.

Variations
Can use split peas, yellow or green. The original recipe uses canola oil. I suspect the spicing could be more authentically Ethiopian.

Comments

[brownbetty]

Ooooh! Gonna try this. What kind of lentils have you tried it with?

[sonia]

I used little beluga lentils, which cook relatively quickly and don't disintegrate. When I tried it with split peas it was more of a mush, which I think is more traditionally Ethiopian.

Let me know how it turns out!