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Cooking time: 1 hour
You Will Need
1 cup dried shiitake mushrooms
1 cup boiling water
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 carrots, quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise
8 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
3/4 cup lentils, rinsed and picked over
1 cup canned crushed tomatoes
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon rubbed sage
3 cups water
1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced
2 teaspoons sugar
1 cup frozen peas
What to Do
1. In a small bowl combine the shiitake mushrooms and boiling water. Let stand until the mushrooms are softened, about 20 minutes. Remove the mushrooms with a slotted spoon and reserve the liquid. Trim any stems from the mushrooms and thinly slice the caps. Strain the reserved liquid through a fine-meshed sieve or coffee filter. Set aside.
2. In a large saucepan heat 2 teaspoons of the oil over medium heat. Add the carrots and garlic, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
3. Stir in the lentils, tomatoes, salt, cumin, ginger, sage, mushrooms, and reserved liquid. Add 3 cups of water and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer; cover and cook until the lentils are tender, about 35 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, in a large skillet heat the remaining 1 teaspoon of oil over medium heat. Add the onion and sugar; cook, stirring frequently until the onion is lightly browned, about 5 minutes.
5. Add the peas to the stew and cook for 2 minutes to heat through. Serve the stew topped with the browned onions.
Serves 6
Some More Ideas:
- 2 cups of fresh, sliced mushrooms can be used in place of the dried mushrooms. Eliminate the hot water and the soaking step.
- Any vegetables can be added to this stew. Celery, red potatoes, sweet potatoes, and parsnips make wonderful additions. Chop finely and add with the carrots.
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