Lentil Stew

Lentils have long been part of the Romanian traditional cuisine, especially as soup. In more recent times, they have begun to be used even more widely. To me, they are more flavored than beans and more easy to cook. There is a wide range of lentils, but for this recipe I used thin green lentils. They became tender in no time and preserved their shape, without becoming a mushy mixture.

Today's recipe is extremely simple, but extremely tasty. You can have it as an independent dish, with salad or caramelized onion, or as a side dish for chicken. The Romanian version does not contain cumin, turmeric, or cardamom, but parsley and/or sweet chili powder.

Ingredients:

- 2 medium onions
- 6 cloves of garlic
- 6 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- a pinch of cardamom
- 2 cups of chicken or vegetable broth
- black pepper
- salt

Lentils - The Kitchen Experience:

1. Pick and wash the lentils several times.
2. Boil the lentils in plain water for 15 minutes, then discard the water.
3. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat.
4. Add the onion (chopped), the garlic (minced), cumin, turmeric, and cardamom; sauté until onion softens, about 5 minutes.

5. Add broth and lentils; bring to boil
6. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes. When it's almost done, add salt and pepper.

Enjoy!