Sunset Lentil Stew with Turmeric and Parsnips

Looking for healthy recipes with vegetables as the main ingredient is not a simple task. We usually come across nonsense versions of carnivore dishes. It’s not easy, nope. On one hand, we see many vegan versions of traditional dishes (which are originally meat or fish dishes) such as the overused vegetable burgers or (panic!) textured soy chicken bites. At the other extreme, there is a tendency in vegan cuisine to create a visual or conceptual impact in a kind of vegetable juggling: vegan salmon fillets (?) made with marinated carrots… no comment.

This is why it is good to discover authors of vegan recipes focused on honesty, on providing good food and who do it with elegance, joy and a taste for professional detail. Such is the work of Laura Wright, author of The First Mess Cookbook and the chef behind our favorite vegan cooking blog in 2023, The First Mess.

In her own words:

I find simple food to be the most satisfying, and it has a lot of style if you’re mindful about the approach and presentation (…) These are the kinds of dishes that I prepare for myself and for guests. The food is comfortable and familiar but also special with a seasonal spin, an extra nourishing component, or a unique plant-based take. My eating philosophy is definitively vegan and rooted in the seasons, but I also cook and eat for joy and happiness.

Her recipes are attractive, easy to prepare and created to be made at home. From her book we love her Sunset Lentil and Rice Stew with Turmeric. A family winter dish, delightful and colorful and made using a one-pot technique. It’s no-fuss, ideal to prepare with your partner, kids or friends and easy to upgrade with extra toppings or indulgences (how about a dollop of chutney on top?).

In our take on Laura’s dish we swapped the carrots in the original recipe for parsnips, for their fresh and slightly aniseed flavor and we used fresh turmeric to enjoy its powerful vegetal aroma. If you are not familiar with parsnips we encourage you to try them in this recipe. You will discover a new vegetable that is ideal to alternate with carrots in most recipes you regularly do.

On the plate it is a creamy, aromatic and very tasty Dal. You can’t stop eating! With a mild coconut aroma and fresh taste due to turmeric and parsnips. A touch of lemon and fresh spinach leaves rounds it up and makes it ideal for a cozy dinner on a cold winter day. What are you waiting for?

Lentil Stew with Turmeric and Parsnips

 

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Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

45 mins

Total time

1 hour

 

Author: Adapted from Laura Wright

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon (15 mL) virgin coconut oil (or olive oil)
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 2 medium parsnips (or carrots), peeled
• and chopped
• 3-inch (7.5 cm) piece fresh turmeric, peeled, or 2 teaspoons (10 mL) ground turmeric
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon (5 mL) ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon (2 mL) dried chili flakes
• ½ cup (125 mL) red split lentils, rinsed
• ½ cup (125 mL) brown basmati rice, rinsed
• 1 can (28 ounces/796 mL) crushed tomatoes
• 3 cups (750 mL) filtered water
• 1 cup (250 mL) light coconut milk
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 tablespoon (15 mL) fresh lemon juice
• Spinach leaves for garnishing

Instructions

1. Heat the coconut oil in a large, heavy pot over medium heat. Add the onions and parsnips to the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are soft, about 4 minutes. Using a Microplane or other fine grater, grate the peeled turmeric directly into the pot. Add the garlic to the pot and stir.
2. Add the cumin and chili flakes to the pot and stir until spices are fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the lentils and rice to the pot and stir to coat in the oil, vegetables, and seasonings.
3. Add the crushed tomatoes and filtered water to the pot and stir. Bring the stew to a boil, then simmer, covered, until the rice is just tender, about 30 minutes.
4. Carefully ladle a third of the stew into a blender. Pour the coconut milk into the blender and blend the mixture on high until smooth and creamy. Pour the purée back into the pot and stir to combine. Bring the stew to a boil once more. Season the stew with sea salt and pepper and stir in the lemon juice. Serve the stew hot with spinach leaves on top.

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