Mediterranean Savor: Salad with cooked lentils and raw vegetables.

Nepal-style lentils, a rich recipe in spices like, cumin and basil; cooked with carrots and served warm with raw cabbage, shredded.

                                        

Mediterranean Savor: lentils stew with aromas from the Orient

A friend of mine sent me the recipe and I liked the idea very much: the combination of two styles of cooking, legume stew with vegetables inside Mediterranean cuisine and the seasoning, Garam masala, of Indian cuisine.  

Garam masala is a ready-made spice blend which gives to food a sweet and very aromatic smell and a flavor with a light touch of spicy and comforting.

As I didn´t have the ready-made blend but the ingredients, I made my own mixture of spices with cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, black pepper and cardamom. And not knowing the quantities, I put the same for all the ingredients, one teaspoon of each.

The result was incredible; besides, all the ingredients of the blend have benefits to help a good digestion, among many other properties. 

  

Description of the steps by means of photographs: 

1- sauté the onion in olive oil; when softened, add garlic and sauté. 2 - add the lentils (previously soaked overnight), stir and sauté for a few minutes. 3 - add the carrot and sauté. 4 - add Garam masala seasoning, stir and sauté for some minutes.

5 - add the potatoes, stir and sauté for a few minutes. 6 - fill with water to cook the stew, add a pinch of salt to taste and cover. 7 - pick over and wash the spinach. 8 - when the stew is cooked, add spinach and let simmer for some minutes.

INGREDIENTS:

100 g  lentils  from La Armuña P.D.O. 
170 g  fresh spinach , picked over and washed;               
2 medium  potatoes , diced; 
1 large sliced  carrot       
1 large  onion , chopped          
2 cloves  garlic , chopped              

Garam masala ( cinnamon ,  nutmeg ,  clove ,  black pepper ,  cardamom); 
 Extra virgin olive oil ; and Sea salt (to taste). In a 3-liter saucepan. 
   

>> see more stew recipes

                   

Cream of zucchini soup with ginger root and black quinua.

Beginning:

• Ingredients (serves 4): 2 medium  zucchini , 1 red onion, a piece of  ginger  (root) (3cm), 40 ml  black quinoa , Himalayan pink salt,  extra virgin olive oil  and water to cover. Optional: 1  carrot  and colored peppers (5 peppers grinder) for garnish the dish and at serving time (Photo 1).

Preparation: 

Cover the bottom of the stockpot (capacity of 3 liters) with extra virgin olive oil. While the olive oil is heating, cut the onion into julienne (cut in strips) to sauté. 

Dice ginger and when the onion is transparent (softened), add it and stir ingredients till they are thoroughly combined. Let it sauté for a few minutes. You will feel a pleasant aroma.

Meanwhile, dice the unpeeled zucchinis; previously, we have put them in a bowl with salted water and a drizzle of vinegar to clean them.

Now, we continue with the photos: 

• Add zucchini to the stockpot. Stir and let it sauté for 15 minutes on a low heat, stirring occasionally (Photo 2).

• Cover all with water. Add salt to taste and let it simmer for 15 minutes more (Photo 3).

• When the zucchini is very tender but without crumbling, add 40ml black quinoa that we have previously put it in a colander to rinse well (Photo 4).

• Let it simmer for 15 minutes more (Photo 5). 

Then, remove from heat and with an electric mixer, blend them to get a cream soup. And serve.

Optional at serving time (Photo 6):

Dice a carrot, very finely; in a griddle, with a bit of extra virgin olive oil, grill it for a few minutes. 

When they are ready, sprinkle them with freshly ground pepper, to taste.

Time: 1 hour.

Note:

With this recipe, I participated in a Recipe Contest in April 2014, organized by El Corte Inglés (the most important Department Store in Spain) and was published in June 2014 (edition Nº 97, page 38) as the winning recipe for that edition.

 >> see more vegetable cream soup recipes