Ecuadorian Lentil Stew & Rice

I first discovered this delightful dish when my Ecuadorian friend Maria made it for me one day. She called it a “poor man’s dish” because everything in it is relatively inexpensive and yet it is a substantial and nutritious dinner. I was hooked at the first bite! The stew was full of flavor and even the rice was incredibly tasty. The topping of a sunny side up egg brought the dish together even more. To make it a vegetarian option, you can certainly leave out the bacon and add vegetarian broth instead of water to give it more flavor.

This pauper’s dish is fit for a queen!

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Ecuadorian Lentil Stew over Rice

Servings 2 people

Author Eat the Wind

Ingredients

• 2 rashers bacon cut into small pieces (optional)
• 1 cup red onion diced
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1 cup fresh tomatoes chopped
• 1 cup dried brown lentils rinsed
• 3 cups water
• ½ teaspoon cumin
• ½ teaspoon dried herbs de Provence
• 1 teaspoon fresh cilantro chopped
• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper optional
• Salt & pepper to taste

Ecuadorian Style Rice:

• 1 Tablespoon canola oil
• 1 garlic clove minced
• 1 cup uncooked long grain rice rinsed
• 1¼ cup water
• 1 teaspoon salt or to taste

Topping:

• 2 eggs, fried sunny side up optional

Instructions

• In a medium-sized pot over medium high heat, fry the bacon until crispy. Add the red onions, garlic and tomatoes, and fry until the onions and garlic are fragrant and soft.
• Add the lentils, water, cumin, herbs de Provence, fresh cilantro, and salt and pepper. Bring it to a boil and then lower the heat. Cover and cook for around 30 to 45 minutes or until lentils are soft. For a spicy kick, add cayenne pepper to the stew.
• In a smaller pot, heat up canola oil and fry the garlic until fragrant. Add the uncooked rice and stir until coated with oil. Add 1¼ cups of water and one teaspoon of salt to the pot. Bring to a boil over high heat. When the water has reduced to the level of the rice, lower the heat to a simmer and cover the pot with a lid. Simmer for 20 minutes.
• For a more substantial dinner, add a sunny side up egg on top of each rice bowl.