Chilean Dal

Joe listened to the "How Low Can You Go" series on NPR which highlighted different recipes that are inexpensive for family dinners. He thought that this recipe sounded really good so we tried it out. I will confirm that this IS a cheap recipe and we both really liked the taste of it. I would consider this to be a vegetarian version of a beef and vegetable stew....the lentils take the place of the beef. Here is the recipe online.

CHILEAN DAL

• 3 cups cooked lentils
• 2 cups chopped potatoes (I would chop these into small, bite-size pieces next time)
• 2 chopped carrots
• 3 chopped tomatoes
• 1 hot pepper (I used a jalapeno)
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 16 ounces tomato sauce
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• A little beer or sherry (I used apple juice)
• A little red vinegar
• Olive oil
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
• Salt and pepper

Soak and cook lentils till soft. Drain and rinse, set aside. Sautee onions, garlic, hot pepper, and cumin in olive oil. Add beer or sherry. Add potatoes and carrots, cover with water, bring to boil. Add tomatoes and cook till potatoes are soft. Add lentils and tomato sauce. Salt and pepper to taste. (I sometimes add more water or beer if it's too thick, or vinegar if it's too sweet.) Add more cumin or hot sauce if you like it really spicy. Throw in the cilantro, take if off the heat. Serve after a few minutes.