Little lemon tree, happy and producing.
Indian curried lentils warm my soul and stomach.
This recipe, just right for the season and written for large quantity, hails from my college days before having apples of my own and a little lemon tree to pick. These fruits are complimented well by sweet coriander and cardamom, cinnamon and turmeric in a coconut base.
Filling and healthy, this fall meal provides us all aspects of nourishment. Spiced lentils will delight your senses, with savory onion and garlic to round out tender beef and subtle lentils with a zest of fresh lemon.
The recipe is designed for a crock pot but can easily be made in smaller proportion on the stove top, covered, or in a standard dutch oven.
Coriander, cardamom, cinnamon and turmeric warm and brighten.
~Recipe~
Indian Lentil Dinner
3 c raw lentils (any type will do, I used red this time) and 5 cups water to cook
6 T coconut oil
1-2 lbs beef (I used round steak, but most any cut will do)
4-5 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups onion, chopped
2 t salt
pepper to taste
1 t turmeric
1 t cinnamon
1 t coriander
1/2 t cardamom
1 lemon
2 c apple, chopped
salt to taste
~Place lentils in crock pot, add 3 T coconut oil and water; cover and turn on high.
~Cut beef in 1 inch pieces; quick fry on medium high heat in 3 T coconut oil, but do not cook through; add onion and garlic and cook briefly; remove and add to lentils.
~Grind spices along with salt and pepper with mortar and pestle and add to lentils along with juice from one lemon.
~Cook 1-2 hours or until tender; add apple and cook a few minutes until tender; salt to taste.
~Cook rice of choice and serve lentil curry over rice or separately, and enjoy!
Love from our kitchen to yours! Gina @ Soul & Stomach
Soul & Stomach 
I hear ya! I’m definitely in the same camp of making do with what you’ve got, even if it means making some pretty radical ingredient swaps. And, access to affordable, pastured meat is one of the best parts about cooking and eating in the Methow.
Sounds good, and yes the chicken or paneer would have been more traditional, but neighbors with a cow who had a good life made this red meat version possible.
What an unexpected and delightful combo! I bet this would also be good with a different kind of protein that is more traditional to India, such as chicken or goat or paneer cheese, since beef is so rarely consumed in that part of the world. Lentils are a cold-weather staple for me (heck, a year-round staple, really), so I might just have to try this with homemade paneer if I get around to making some, or, more likely, with tofu – which would not be traditional either but would still be delicious 🙂