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vegan-spicy-lentil-shepards-pie-with-ackee-mashed-potatoes
Chantal

Spicy Lentils - For Shepards Pie

This is a guide rather than a solid recipe, the spices and amounts that get thrown in change from time to time depending on what I feel for or what ingredients we have on hand. Feel free to mix it up, the method is the most important bit
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Servings: 8 people
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tbsps Coconut oil*
  • 1 small onion finely diced
  • 3 to 5 cloves garlic minced
  • Red and yellow bell peppers diced**
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 cups Brown green or French lentils***, thoroughly washed and drained
  • 2 tbsps Tomato paste
  • Kettle of hot water or vegetable stock
To taste (sprinkle sprinkle till your soul says YES!):
  • Ground cumin
  • Garlic powder
  • Onion powder
  • Cayenne pepper
  • Salt & pepper

Method
 

  1. Heat oil in sauce pot (choose a pot that has a lid that fits well). Cook onions till translucent then add garlic and cook for a couple more minutes.
  2. Add bay leaf and peppers then the lentils. Stir to coat with oil and heat briefly.
  3. Pour over enough water or stock just to cover the lentils.
  4. Bring up to a boil then break down to simmer.
  5. Add and adjust seasonings to taste, be sparing with the salt as the flavour will concentrate as the lentils cook.
  6. Cover and let cook till the lentils are soft and most of the liquid has evaporated.
  7. The method here is similar to making risotto, you want there to be just the right amount of liquid left in the lentils when you're done, you want them soft but not mushy (they should hold their shape) so you'll keep the water or stock warm and add just enough at a time to keep the simmering going.
  8. Before your last addition of water or stock, add the tomato paste, this will thicken it up quite a bit, this is saved to the end till the end to prevent sticking and burning and to ensure the lentils cook evenly.
  9. Adjust seasoning
  10. Enjoy!

Notes

*I usually use regular coconut oil, but since I had it on had and wanted to spice things up I used the chili infused coconut oil for an additional layer of flavour.
**Sometimes I do celery and carrots instead of or as well as peppers
***French lentils are When I'm making creamy lentils I omit the tomato paste go heavy on the cumin and add coconut milk, when I'm making lentils for Shepards pie though since I know the potatoes will be creamy I want to balance that out by going the tomato route.