Recipe Review from 9/6/10

I thought I made more recipes last week, but it appears I didn't.  Only one to speak of and I really liked it.  If you follow the link, it will lead to a better picture than what mine turned out being. 

Spicy Ethiopian Red Lentil Stew  (Ckng Lght, May 2010)
I've had my eye on this recipe since it came out in May, but for some reason it kept getting pushed back in the recipe rotation and then with the summer heat, dropped altogether.  Well, when the temps dropped last week back down to the high 60's, I thought of this recipe and dug it out.  It was super easy to throw together with only one modification - the Berbere spice.  I ended up just mixing together the recommended spices as listed below.  I used more coriander than cloves and allspice, as those two can easily overwhelm a dish.  This does end up rather thick, which makes it perfect to serve over rice.  I do recommend using the basmati rice for it's flavor, but regular brown or white rice will work nicely.


Spicy Ethiopian Red Lentil Stew
Look for Ethiopian Berbere spice—a mixture of dried chiles, cloves, ginger, coriander, and allspice—at gourmet markets and specialty stores, or order it from americanspice.com.
Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 cup lentils and 1 cup rice)


Ingredients
2 teaspoons canola oil
2 cups chopped red onion
1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 1/2 tablespoons Berbere spice
3 cups organic vegetable broth
1 cup dried small red lentils
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
4 cups hot cooked basmati rice


Preparation
1. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion to pan; cook 15 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Add ginger and garlic; cook 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in tomato paste and Berbere spice; cook 1 minute, stirring to combine. Gradually add broth, stirring with a whisk until blended. Increase heat to medium-high; bring to a simmer.


2. Rinse lentils until cold water; drain. Add lentils to broth mixture; simmer, partially covered, 35 minutes or until lentils are tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in salt. Sprinkle with cilantro; serve over rice.