Amazing Lentil Stew from Yemen

One of my favorite cook books is called From the land of Figs and Olives. It is all Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisine that despite all of the proliferation of food styles you see in America today, is still rather rare. I've also had some people ask me independently for this recipe so I figured it would be a good one to share.

My favorite dish from that particular book is a Yemeni Lentil Stew.

Serves 10-12
Ingredients
1 Bag Lentils (Rinsed) (12oz)
1 Lb Lamb (Cut into small pieces)
1 Cup Cilantro (Chopped)
4 Medium onions (Chopped)
4 Large Ripe tomatoes (Chopped)
1 tsp Allspice (ground)
1 tsp Cayanne (poweder or 2tsp fresh)
1-2 tbsp Salt
1 tbsp Pepper
Olive oil

So I doubled the recipe. What are you going to do about it. I really like this stuff and it freezes really well so I can eat it all the time. I guess you can 1/2 it to get back to the original.

So the best thing to do is to get everything prepped before you start this because once we get rolling there is enough stuff to keep you busy for a while without having to chop a whole bunch of veggies.

So, Put 12 cups water in a pot and boil, then add the lentils (cook 20 minutes). 12 cups you see that? You're going to need a bigger pot.

While those are going add some olive oil to a big fat cast iron skillet on HIGH heat. Again you're gonna need a bigger pan. Add the lamb once the oil starts to smoke and stir it around until you start to get a nice brown.
Then you add the onions garlic and cilantro until They start to brown 5-10 minutes depending on how hot your pan is. After that add your tomatoes and go for about 2-4 more minutes

Now you're basically home free. Add the spices and the contents of your skillet to the pot with the cooked lentils. Cook everything an additional 20 minutes and taste. Add Cayenne for more heat, Allspice for more body, and salt if you need it.

Yum. Yemeni Lentil Stew.