My cousin, Manisha, shared this hearty and flavorful recipe with me (it is originally from this book). I serve it over rice but it would be even better with corn bread! I mistakenly added cinnamon to the pot in addition to cumin powder once but people seemed to like the resulting unexpected flavor.
2 tablespoons olive oil or grapeseed oil
2 carrots, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 celery stalk, diced
1 medium onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced [I usually put about 3 times this amount]
1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
1/2 tablespoon ground cumin
1/2 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 cups vegetable broth
1 cup dry lentils [I use masoor daal because it cooks the fastest, but I've heard it's the least nutrient-filled of lentils available.]
1 15oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 14.5oz can diced tomatoes, with juice
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup sliced green onions (scallion), white and green parts
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Juice of 1 lime
Place a wide soup pot on the stove over medium heat. Place the oil, carrots, red bell pepper, celery, and onion in the pot and cook, stirring often, for about 10 minutes, until the vegetables are nearly tender and beginning to brown. Add the garlic, chili powder, cumin, paprika, oregano, cayenne pepper, and black pepper. Saute for 1 minute, then add the broth, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Stir in the lentils and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes, or until the lentils are tender. Stir in the black beans, tomatoes, and salt. Simmer for 10 minutes, then add the green onion, cilantro, and lime juice.
