Spinach and Lentils Indian Style

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 white onion, halved and sliced into 1/2-inch rings
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup lentils
• ½ cup water
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 ½ teaspoons ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach

Step 1

Heat some oil in a heavy pan over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until it starts to turn golden brown—this should take about 10 minutes. Toss in the minced garlic and cook for another minute until it smells delicious.

Step 2

Stir in the chicken broth, lentils, half a cup of water, crushed garlic, and all the spices—coriander, salt, cumin, chili powder, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, cayenne pepper, and a bay leaf. Bring everything to a boil, then cover the pan and reduce the heat to medium-low. Let it simmer gently for about 35 minutes, or until the lentils are nice and soft.

Step 3

While the lentils are cooking, put the spinach in a microwave-safe bowl with a little water (about a quarter cup) and microwave it for 5 minutes. Give it a stir, then heat it for another 5 minutes until it’s completely wilted. Let it cool a bit, then drain off the water and squeeze out any extra moisture.

Step 4

Finally, mix the spinach into the lentils, cover the pan again, and let it simmer for another 10 minutes so all the flavors come together and everything is warmed through.