This vegetable stew recipe with lentils is gluten free, delicious and very easy to make. It has a medley of taste and can be enjoyed as a whole meal.
Festivals in India are synonymous with food. People enjoy various kinds of food and completely forget to watch what they are eating. This Durga Puja season, I obviously was out enjoying all kinds of street foods of Kolkata that I miss in Bangalore. But now after the pujas are over, it’s time to detox. I am getting to have healthy and light food to compensate for the entire binge eating during the festival. This light vegetable stew recipe has every bit of nutrition and taste to bring me back to the healthy lifestyle.
One of the key ingredients for a healthy lifestyle is that you make your own food or at least know what’s going into your food. I wanted to have a vegan soup, for a change, and I also wanted it to be protein rich. So why not make a lentil soup? But then I figured out I had a few vegetables in the refrigerator, so I ended up making this vegetable stew recipe with lentils.
What do you need for this vegetable stew recipe?
The best part of this stew is you can add vegetables of your choice. I am using some very regular vegetables that are found lying in your kitchen.
In using carrot, French beans, green peas, onion, cauliflower and orange lentil or masoor dal. You can use moong dal for this vegetable stew recipe too. Since we are not going to pressure cook it, try to use lentils that are easy and faster to cook.
How to make this vegetable stew recipe?
I can’t even tell you how easy this vegetable stew recipe is. It’s almost like sautéing everything together and letting it all mix together! Nevertheless, here’s how you can make this detox vegetable stew recipe and have a healthy meal today!
In a pan or kadhai, heat vegetable oil and temper it with little cumin seeds and a few crushed cloves of garlic. I like the aroma that garlic gives, it makes this really fragrant. If you are someone who doesn’t take garlic or onions – you can skip both from this recipe. Once the oil is tempered sauté onion, till they turn translucent. Once the onion is cooked add half a teaspoon of ginger paste.
Now add the vegetables and sauté them. Add washed lentils in it and keep sautéing for 4-5 minutes.
In a small bowl add turmeric powder, red chili powder and jeera powder, or cumin powder and mix them with water to make a paste-like consistency. Add this spice mix to the lentils and mix well. Let it cook till oil is released from the sides.
Add the washed cauliflower florets and keep sautéing for 5-6 minutes,
Add warm water, seasoning to your stew. Cover and cook for 10-15 minutes over low flame or till the lentil has melted and cauliflower is cooked.
Serve it warm. I sometimes like having a bowlful of it – just like that without any other portion of carbs.
Read: Old Fashioned Chicken Stew
- Orange Lentil/ Masoor dal – 1/2 cup, washed and soaked for 1 hour
- Carrot – 1, peeled and diced
- Onion – 1 small, chopped
- French Beans – 4-5, chopped
- Green peas – 1/2 cup
- Cauliflower – 6-7 florets
- Cumin seeds – 1 teaspoon
- Garlic – 2 cloves, peeled and crushed
- Ginger – 1 teaspoon
- Turmeric powder – 1/2 teaspoon
- Red chili powder – 1/4th teaspoon
- Cumin powder – 1/2 teaspoon
- Water – 2 tablespoon
- Vegetable oil – 1 tablespoon
- Seasoning – to taste
- Warm water – 2 cups
- In a pan or kadhai, heat vegetable oil and temper it with little cumin seeds and a few crushed cloves of garlic.
- Add onion and saute till they turn translucent
- Once the onion is cooked add ginger paste
- Add all the vegetables and sauté them
- Add strained lentils in it and keep sautéing for 4-5 minutes
- In a small bowl add turmeric powder, red chili powder and jeera powder, or cumin powder and mix them with water to make a paste-like consistency.
- Add this spice mix to the lentils and mix well
- Add cauliflower florets and keep cooking for 5-6 minutes
- Add warm water and seasoning to stew
- Cover and cook 10-15 minutes or till the lentils have meted and cauliflower is cooked
This is a fairly easy recipe to create and you can add as many vegetables of your choice. My son, Bluey is very fond of peas so I have to invariably add them in most of my recipes these days. You could even add some mushrooms for all you know! It’s all up to you.
Now wasn’t that easy? Let me know in the comments how you enjoyed it.
I am taking part in The Write Tribe Problogger October 2017 Blogging Challenge
You are quite a cook girl! You know it all dontcha;)
Delicious and simple…just the way I like my food! Lentils are so versatile, aren’t they? I love it!
really a simple, healthy and delicious recipe Tina. I always try to add more veggies and lentil in my routine diet. you had given me another excellent way to do that. thanks. sharing it on my twitter.
I love one pot meals. Stews and soups can sometimes convert into a one pot meal if they have a filling base like lentils. This looks like a delicious option!
I like the idea of adding lentils to the stew. Will be trying out this one. Thanks for sharing.
This looks yummy and the best part is that it is healthy too. Light and easy to digest. Agree, we need light food after the heavy festival stuff.
This one pot meal looks delicious and i am sure will taste delicious as well. Even the preparation is easy, Will try this recipe for sure 🙂
Ah! Simple, healthy and fast to cook. Great recipe.
oh wow! this is something I easy and quick!
I sometimes make a similar stew with lots of different lentils. Tastes so yumm. Haven’t tried with cauliflower yet. This looks incredibly delicious 🙂
A complete healthy and delicious recipe. Looks so colourful also. And as you show it’s so easy to made. Thanks for sharing this recipe.
Never tried mixing vegetable and lentils. it looks delicious, nutritional and so easy to prepare.
Now I know what I am cooking for supper tonight. It looks delicious.
I don’t eat vegetarian food that often, but this recipe sounds wonderful! I will definitely give it a try 🙂
I love lentils. Cauliflower, not so much. But overall, it looks good!
That veggie stew soup is so colorful fits well for a cold autumn day! I will definitely try your recipe for sure! Yummy!
Loved the simple recipe especially as it seems doable to a newbie like me. Will surely give this a try!
I’m all about stews and veggies soups in autumn. I might actually give this one a go! 🙂
Tadeja
http://www.happynami.com/opposites-attract-5-love-languages/
This is just perfect. I was thinking of doing some easy yet delicious and I stumbled upon your vegetable stew recipe.
Luckily, I have the ingredients available. Will prepare this for tomorrow’s lunch. Wish me luck.
Part of the reason that I love winter so much is because of all the soup. And I love cauliflower and lentils too. I’m going to have to cut up the cauliflower pieces smaller tho to trick my husband haha.
uuuuu, girl yes! Anything with cumin I’ll like for sure! plus, this stew looks absolutely delicious!
Great recipe! 😉
I’m feeling hungry now after reading your vegetable stew recipe. Gonna try making it some time soon, thanks for sharing! 😉
It looks so so good! Can’t wait to cook this for the kids. Bet they will love it.
This seems yummy and easy recipe to cook ..I will sure make and share with you how it turn
wow yummy yummy recipe and perfect for winter season. loved the way you had shared this with proper detail and photos. will surly try this.
This sounds comfort Healthy and easy to cook food especially during winters.
Now that winters are here, I love making different types of soups. This vegetable stew recipe is quick and easy, will surely try it soon
Wow any idea of one pot meal pleases my heart a lot I will sure try this Tina
It’s going to be such a delicious and delicate stew wow, I can totally feel myself drooling. Such a nutritious recipe for the winters yumm
With winters fast approaching, this would make a wonderful recipe to try out. Thanks for sharing Tina.
now this is mouthwatering I am sure will be trying out this weekend it looks super yummy.
We are family in love with appam and vegetable stew . I would try this out next weekend with your receipe
Loved the presentation and so well clicked pictures. I am sure it tastes amazing too👌
This is such an easy recipe and so much healthy for adults and kids too, with all the necessary nutrients.
My mom loves making stew in winters as she feels warmth with it. I would share this recipe with her too. Thanks.
I loved the recipe, I often try this recipe with a few twist and turns. It tastes awesome. Thanks for reminding me again. Winters are here so I am excited to try this.
Thus stew is having all one can ask for healthy meal, shall try this over next weekend.