Serves 6.
1/2 cup brown lentils
1 onion, finely chopped
1-1/2 cups water
3 Tbsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
2 tsp harissa, or more to taste (I use lots more -- up to 2 Tbsp)
1 tsp paprika
1 Tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp honey or agave nectar, or more to taste
1 tsp kosher salt, or more to taste
3/4 tsp black pepper, or more to taste
2 sweet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 cup golden raisins
Grated zest of one lemon, or rind of one preserved lemon, chopped
Juice of 1 lemon, if needed
4 tsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
Rinse the lentils in a sieve. Place in a Dutch oven with onion and 1 cup water. Cover and bring to a simmer over low heat, and cook for 20 minutes.
In the meantime, in a small nonstick frying pan, heat the oil over low heat. Add garlic, saute for 15 seconds, then add cumin, turmeric, harissa, paprika, tomato paste and sugar, and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes until it forms a dark, aromatic paste. Add the spice paste to the lentils, along with salt and pepper.
After the lentils have cooked for 15 minutes, add the sweet potatoes and raisins, plus an additional half cup of water. Continue cooking for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to keep the potatoes from sticking. Add the lemon zest and half of the parsley. Cook until lentils and sweet potatoes are done (add more water if necessary). Taste and adjust seasoning with lemon juice, honey, salt and pepper as needed. Garnish with remaining parsley, and serve over couscous.
1/2 cup brown lentils
1 onion, finely chopped
1-1/2 cups water
3 Tbsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
2 tsp harissa, or more to taste (I use lots more -- up to 2 Tbsp)
1 tsp paprika
1 Tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp honey or agave nectar, or more to taste
1 tsp kosher salt, or more to taste
3/4 tsp black pepper, or more to taste
2 sweet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 cup golden raisins
Grated zest of one lemon, or rind of one preserved lemon, chopped
Juice of 1 lemon, if needed
4 tsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
Rinse the lentils in a sieve. Place in a Dutch oven with onion and 1 cup water. Cover and bring to a simmer over low heat, and cook for 20 minutes.
In the meantime, in a small nonstick frying pan, heat the oil over low heat. Add garlic, saute for 15 seconds, then add cumin, turmeric, harissa, paprika, tomato paste and sugar, and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes until it forms a dark, aromatic paste. Add the spice paste to the lentils, along with salt and pepper.
After the lentils have cooked for 15 minutes, add the sweet potatoes and raisins, plus an additional half cup of water. Continue cooking for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to keep the potatoes from sticking. Add the lemon zest and half of the parsley. Cook until lentils and sweet potatoes are done (add more water if necessary). Taste and adjust seasoning with lemon juice, honey, salt and pepper as needed. Garnish with remaining parsley, and serve over couscous.