Fire Misir Wot with Basmati Rice

A vibrant and flavorful Ethiopian red lentil stew, quickly prepared with aromatic spices and served with fluffy basmati rice and fresh pita bread, delivering a satisfying vegetarian meal in under 30 minutes.

• Prep: 10 min
• Cook: 20 min
• Total: 30 min
• Servings: 7
• Cuisine: Ethiopian
• Difficulty: Easy
• Cost: $2.58/serving

Dietary

• Vegetarian
• Vegan
• Dairy-Free
• Nut-Free
• Egg-Free
• Low-Sugar
• High-Fiber
• Pescatarian
• High-Protein

Tags

• sauté
• boil
• quick
• healthy
• comfort food
• savory

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 yellow onions (large, finely chopped)
• 6 clove garlic (minced)
• 2 tablespoon fresh ginger (grated)
• 2 tablespoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 0.5 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 0.25 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1.75 cup red lentils (rinsed)
• 5 cup vegetable broth
• 1.5 cup canned crushed tomatoes
• 1.5 teaspoon salt
• 0.75 teaspoon black pepper (ground)
• 1.75 cup basmati rice
• 3.5 cup water
• 7 whole wheat pita breads
• 2 tablespoon fresh cilantro (chopped)

Instructions

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the yellow onions and cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly browned. While onions cook, combine paprika, cayenne pepper, ground cumin, ground cardamom, and ground cloves in a small bowl.
2. Add the minced garlic and grated fresh ginger to the pot and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in the mixed spices and cook for another 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
3. Add the rinsed red lentils, vegetable broth, canned crushed tomatoes, salt, and black pepper to the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, or until lentils are tender.
4. While the lentils simmer, prepare the basmati rice. In a medium saucepan, combine basmati rice and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 12-15 minutes, or until all water is absorbed and rice is tender. Fluff with a fork.
5. Warm the whole wheat pita breads according to package instructions, typically in a toaster or microwave, during the last few minutes of cooking.
6. Serve the Misir Wot hot, alongside the fluffy basmati rice and warm pita bread. Garnish with fresh cilantro if desired.

Notes

Red lentils cook quickly and break down to create a naturally thick sauce. For less spice, reduce the cayenne pepper.

Nutrition (per serving)

• Calories: 619
• Protein: 25 g
• Carbohydrates: 116 g
• Fat: 5.1 g
• Fiber: 13.1 g
• Sodium: 1483 mg
• Saturated Fat: 0.3 g
• Sugar: 10.5 g