Smashed Lentils

Smashed Lentils

This is an extremely cheap and extremely nutritious recipe from my days in Costa Rica... If you're wondering, it tastes great on day two after being carried unrefrigerated for 8 hours through the jungle

Ingredients

800 grams of dry lentils (if you use non-dry lentils you may want to reduce the liquid a little)
2 cans of coconut milk
3 cans of chicken broth*
3 cans of water (be prepared to add more water later depending on texture)**
3 tablespoon olive oil
3 cups of coarsely chopped carrots
2 pinches of red pepper flakes/chili flakes (add more for more kick)
2 generous dashes of paprika
3 tablespoons of ground cumin (you might end up adding more of this depending on how fresh and flavorful your cumin is)
2 tablespoons of salt (variable depending on how much you like salt, but I use a lot in this recipe)
pepper to taste at end

Instructions

1. Put everything in a big pot. Bring it to a boil. Simmer for around 30 minutes until the lentils and carrots have swollen and softened.
2. Put ~3/4 of the soupy concoction into a blender. Blend until it has a constant consistency. Pour the blended bit back into the big pot. Stir it around and do a taste test (this is the time to add spices if it seems bland. I usually throw in more salt, cumin, and paprika here).
3. Simmer for another 20-30 minutes until it seems ready. The consistency should be like a thick stew. The color may look a little strange if you use brown lentils but it tastes good

Variations

*Use vegetable broth or water instead of chicken broth for a vegan meal. If you're using just water, increase the salt a little
**Add less liquid for something more like mashed potatoes in consistency
**Add more liquid for something more like soup in consistency