Lamb and lentil stew
October 7, 2008 by Cyndi Lavin
Filed under Recipes
This is a really tasty stew that you can spice up or down to suit your family. With a little bit of prep during your once a week food preparation, you can have the meat pre-cooked so that the stew itself will take under thirty minutes to put together at meal time. Another way to prepare the meat is to put it in a crock pot early in the morning and cook it on low all day. When you get home and are ready to put the stew together, the meat will be tender and falling apart. Good for this particular stew!
We like curries and spicy food a lot, so I’ve included the spices that we add, but with the optional designation. You could add rosemary or bay leaf if you prefer milder tastes.
Lamb and Lentil Stew
1 lb lamb
1 qt water
Olive oil
2 onions, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, mashed
2 T fresh ginger, grated
1-2 T curry paste, or your favorite mix of Indian spices (optional, my mixture is below)
2 c lentils, pre-soaked if possible
10 oz frozen spinach
28 oz can crushed tomatoes
1 lb carrots, sliced
Pre-cook the lamb in a crock pot with a quart of water. When it’s time to make the stew, add enough water to bring the liquid back up to one quart. Pre-soak the lentils too, 2 c lentils in 4 c water. Drain before using.
In a heavy stockpot, saute the onions, garlic, and ginger in olive oil. Add the curry paste or spice mixture of choice and heat through. Add the stock water from the lamb and the lentils and bring to a boil. Cook until tender, 15 to 20 minutes. [Note - some varieties of lentils cook faster than others.] Add the spinach, tomatoes, carrots and lamb, and cook until carrots are tender, about 10 minutes.
Suggested Spice Mixture (optional)
2 t cumin powder
1/2 t tumeric
1/2 t coriander
Cayenne pepper to taste
Dash of cinnamon
Image: Cyndi Lavin
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Stew sounds good!
We are vegetarian in our household but this stew sounds like it would be delicious with a meat substitute for the lamb, even some cubed tofu – thank you!
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Thanks for the contest!
Love the blog. Thanks for the chance to win!
Susan, try rough-chopped cauliflower instead of lamb
I’ve never done lentils before. This sounds pretty flavorful. Thank you!
With the weather quickly changing, this sounds like great comfort food. I love both lamb and lentils.
Lentil stew is so good for the cold days coming. Thanks.
This is perfect… my husband just informed me that he likes lentils, but I’ve never made anything with them before! I don’t know that I’ll do lamb but maybe the cauliflower will work as a substitute!
That looks good. I’ll have to try it sometime. Maybe without the lamb.
looks yummy!!
I never think of cooking lamb when I am shopping, but this sounds like a great fall meal. Thanks!
Oh, wow, that sounds yummy.
I have not had lambin years and I have never cooked it myself, I want to try this!!
I’ve actually never had lamb but I think this would be good with a different type of meat substituted. That’s a quick and easy meal.
I think I’d like to try this, minus the meat.
Wow! This sounds like some yummy comfort food to me!
sblilly14(@)yahoo(.)com
That stew sounds delicious!
mmmm… Stew….. Considering how cold it has been here, that looks wonderful…
Sounds very yummy!
This is so much fun! Not only have I gotten the chance to read some really great blogs, but I also have a chance to win something, too!!
Giving this recipe a try next week…it sounds delicious…and thanks for the chance in the giveaway
This sounds great, but I’ll have to try the cauliflower version (or substitute beef) as I don’t have lamb right now.
I’m ALL about crock-pot recipes, but lamb kind of scares me. Maybe I could use the same recipe with just plain beef?…
As a singer-songwriter and busy music teacher I love to find great recipes for our household.
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Stew always sounds great when the weather turns cool. I have never cooked lentils before but I know they are filling so it might be time I tried it. Thanks for the entry and recipe
Once the temperature outside drops, I love to have something cooking in the kitchen all day to keep the home warm and yummy smelling.
I love lamb. This sounds fabulous especially for winter.
This looks so good. I have not found lamb in my area, but can I substitute beef, pork, or chicken?
Sure, Juanita! Or tofu or cauliflower too
Yum… I too am a lover of crock-pot recipes and this sounds delicious (I can’t resist curry dishes!). I might also try tofu as a substitute for the lamb. What about adding cabbage as well, for fun?
Cabbage? Why not! I wouldn’t add it until near the end though, because I like my cabbage to have a bit of “tooth”
Sounds like something I ate in Turkey.
bebemiqui82(at)yahoo(dot)com
mmm! This looks delicious. Great blog — thanks for sharing some awesome recipes.
Yum yum yum
That stew sounds wonderful on this chilly rainy Fall day!
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I have been eating lamb stew for three days this week. I have never tried it with the curry etc. I will next time. I am in a stew about the secret gift and hope I win!
I love lentil stew not too sure about the lamb though…Thanks for the drawing
Oh I hope I am not to late!!!
Nope!!
This stew sounds delicious! So does the prize!
I’ve never cooked with lentils but I might have to try this recipe.
YUMMMO
oh wow a recipe after my own heart. it sounds absolutely delicious.
We love stews & this sounds like a great one. Ill have to try it.
I haven’t ever cooked lamb but this recipe is pretty interesting. Thanks for the surprise contest, I can’t wait to see what it is!
I have never trie lamb before but this makes me want to try it, it looks delicious!